Buy a Shelf Company
You pick a pre-registered company from inventory, pass KYC, sign transfer documents, and ownership registers in 1–5 business days. You're paying for the incorporation date: expect roughly $650–$1,000 for a year-old entity and $1,500–$5,000 for 2–5 years. Below — the price logic, what's included, and the five checks to run before paying anyone, including us.
Current stock — a sample
| Company | Incorporated | Age | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Private Limited — neutral trading name sample United Kingdom · Private Ltd | 2021-03-11 | 5.3 yrs | £1,450 | Inquire |
| UK Private Limited — services-neutral name sample United Kingdom · Private Ltd | 2023-09-02 | 2.9 yrs | £620 | Inquire |
| UK Private Limited — consulting-neutral name sample United Kingdom · Private Ltd | 2025-01-20 | 1.5 yrs | £340 | Inquire |
| Wyoming Corporation — funding-neutral name sample USA — Wyoming · C-Corp | 2019-06-14 | 7.1 yrs | $5,200 | Inquire |
| Wyoming LLC — commerce-neutral name sample USA — Wyoming · LLC | 2022-11-08 | 3.7 yrs | $1,850 | Inquire |
Rows marked sample illustrate the listing format. Live inventory — with real names, dates, and filing history — is published at launch; every date is verifiable in the public registry before you pay.
What the price includes — and what's billed extra
Sticker-price comparisons mislead because sellers split the package differently. Ask any seller to fill in this table before comparing:
| Item | In our price | Commonly billed extra elsewhere |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer filings and document pack | Included | Sometimes $150–$500 as a “transfer fee” |
| Registered agent / registered office, current year | Included to the next renewal date (shown per listing) | Often expires at transfer — you re-buy immediately |
| Non-trading warranty in the sale agreement | Included, always | Frequently absent — the listing “promise” isn’t a contract term |
| EIN (US) / VAT registration | Billed separately — it must be applied for in your name | Same, but often discovered after payment |
| Bank account | Not sold — introductions only, stated per listing | Sold as included; see the banking reality check |
Five checks before you pay any seller
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Pull the registry record yourself
Companies House or Secretary of State, from the official site — not a PDF the seller sends. Date, status, and filing history should match the listing exactly.
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Match “dormant” against the filings
A truly dormant UK company has dormant accounts filed on time. Gaps, late filings, or “accounts overdue” mean either neglect or hidden activity. Both reprice the deal.
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Search the name for baggage
Court records, credit applications, complaint boards. The age you're buying was public — someone may have already spent the name's reputation.
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Check outstanding registry balances
Delaware franchise tax, UK confirmation-statement fees, agent renewals. Unpaid balances transfer with the entity.
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Demand the non-trading warranty in the contract
If the seller won't warranty non-trading in the sale agreement, the listing claim is worth nothing. This is the walk-away test.
The extended version, with the verification walkthrough per flag: 9 red flags when buying a shelf company.
FAQ
Is buying a shelf company a good idea?
It’s a good purchase when a specific gate demands corporate age you don’t have — a tender minimum, vendor onboarding, a lease. It’s a poor purchase for reputation alone, and a dangerous one if the plan involves presenting bought age as trading history to a lender. If no concrete gate needs the age, form new and keep the difference.
How much does it cost to buy a shelf corporation?
The market runs roughly $650–$1,000 for entities about a year old, $1,500–$5,000 for 2–5 years, and five figures for 7+ years. UK shelf companies run cheaper (£150–£3,000 for most ages). Add transfer extras — registered agent/address renewal and, in the US, EIN issuance — which is why the “what’s included” table above matters more than the sticker.
Can I buy a defunct or dissolved company instead?
Usually no — and when possible (UK administrative restoration), it costs court or registrar fees, takes months, and revives the company with its liabilities. A dissolved company’s history is exactly the baggage a shelf purchase exists to avoid. If someone offers you a cheap “restorable” company, run the red-flags list twice.
How fast can I sign a contract after buying?
The day ownership registers, for most contracts — 1–2 business days in the UK, up to 5 in the US, longer offshore. The practical bottleneck is banking, not ownership: if the contract needs your account to receive funds, add the bank’s onboarding time to the plan.
Ready to compare stock?
Dated, priced, filing status on every row. Send an inquiry and we reply with the registry extract link so you can verify before paying.