Registers

How to build a sourced entity profile from official records

Q: What is the best starting point for an entity profile?

An identifier tied to one entity, such as a company number or an LEI.

Last checked 6 November 2026 · 8 sources

Short answer

Start with an identifier, not a name. Find the entity's register number or its 20-character LEI ^1,2. Pull the core record from the official company register, including officers and previous names ³. Add ownership data where the law allows access, which now differs between the UK, the EU and the US ^5,6 ⁷. For a public office, use the legislature's own register of interests ⁸. Cite each record with its publisher, its date and the date you checked it.

Anchor: A register number or LEI tied to one entity ^1,2
Core record: Official company register, for example Companies House ³
Ownership: PSC register in the UK ⁵. Legitimate interest access in the EU ⁶
Public offices: Parliamentary registers of interests ⁸
Scope: Organisations and officials in their official capacity only

Step 1: fix the identity

Names repeat and change. Numbers do not repeat. UK law makes the registrar give every company a registered number ². The LEI is a 20-character code, and every LEI can only ever represent one entity ¹. Search GLEIF LEI Search for free ⁴ and the national register for the company number. Write both into the profile with the date you checked them.

Step 2: pull the core register record

The company register is the base layer. Companies House shows the registered address, incorporation date, current and resigned officers, document images, charges, previous company names and insolvency information for free ³. Other countries publish different sets of data, so note what the register in each country holds.

Legal name and any previous names ³
Registered number and date of incorporation ^2,3
Registered address ³
Current and resigned officers ³
Mortgage charge data and insolvency information ³
LEI and its Level 1 data, with the last update date ¹

Step 3: add ownership, where the law allows

Ownership data sits on beneficial ownership registers. Access now varies a lot. In the UK, people with significant control are listed on a central public register, and identity checks for PSCs became mandatory on 18 November 2025 ⁵. In the EU, the Court of Justice ruled on 22 November 2022 that open access by any member of the public in all cases was invalid ⁶. In the US, a final rule effective 14 August 2026 exempts US companies from reporting beneficial ownership to FinCEN ⁷.

Use GLEIF Level 2 data for corporate parent links. GLEIF describes Level 2 as who owns whom ¹. Confirm each parent in its own register.

Step 4: public offices and officials

For a public office, the record is the legislature's or the ethics body's own register. UK MPs must register any change to their interests within 28 days ⁸. Use these records for the office and the official acting in it. Do not extend the profile to private life or to private individuals.

Step 5: write it up with sources

Mark each fact with its status and date. Say when a record is a filing by the entity and when it is a finding by an official body. Do not fill gaps with guesses. When two registers disagree, show both with their dates.

Element	Best source	What to cite
Identity	Company register and GLEIF ^1,2	Number, LEI and check date
Core facts	Companies House or the national register ³	Record page and filing date
Ownership	PSC register or national beneficial ownership register ⁵	Entry date and access route
Office holders	Parliamentary register of interests ⁸	Edition or update date

Common questions

What is the best starting point for an entity profile?

An identifier tied to one entity, such as a company number ² or an LEI ¹.

Is UK company information free?

Basic details, officers, document images and previous names are free on the UK register ³.

Can I see who owns an EU company?

Not always. Since the 22 November 2022 ruling, open access for anyone in all cases is invalid ⁶.

Can I use FinCEN data to find who owns a US company?

US companies are exempt from reporting under the final rule effective 14 August 2026 ⁷.

Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@entitydossier.com.

Sources

The Legal Entity Identifier explained
What the 20-character LEI is, who issues it, what its Level 1 and Level 2 data show, who oversees the system and how to check an LEI for free.
Company numbers and registers: how they compare
How company numbers are assigned and what official company registers in the UK, EU, US, Australia, Kenya and Brazil show for free or for a fee.
Beneficial ownership registers: where they stand in 2026
The status of beneficial ownership registers in the UK, the EU after the November 2022 CJEU ruling and the US after FinCEN's 2026 final rule.
Registers of members' interests: how parliaments compare
How the UK, US, Canadian, Australian, European and South African parliaments record members' interests, with deadlines and update rules.
How to verify an official role from public records
How to confirm a public office or company officer role using gazettes, parliamentary registers, ethics registries and company registers.
Entity name changes and successors: how the records work
How company registers and the LEI system record a change of name, why the number stays the same and how to trace a renamed or successor entity.