{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/companies-act-2006/section-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/companies-act-2006/section-4.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2006/46",
  "legislation_title": "Companies Act 2006",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/companies-act-2006",
  "path": "section/4",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Private and public companies",
  "text": "(1) A “private company” is any company that is not a public company.\n(2) A “public company” is a company limited by shares or limited by guarantee and having a share capital—\n(a) whose certificate of incorporation states that it is a public company, and\n(b) in relation to which the requirements of this Act, or the former Companies Acts, as to registration or re-registration as a public company have been complied with on or after the relevant date.\n(3) For the purposes of subsection (2)(b) the relevant date is—\n(a) in relation to registration or re-registration in Great Britain, 22nd December 1980;\n(b) in relation to registration or re-registration in Northern Ireland, 1st July 1983.\n(4) For the two major differences between private and public companies, see Part 20.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/section/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:13:40.060156+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}