How do I check if a director is disqualified?
The short answer
Two minutes, free. Search the Companies House register of disqualified directors1 by name, then match the hit on date of birth and address. Read the reason, the start date and whether the person has permission to act. A person who runs a company while banned can be personally responsible for its debts from that time4, alongside the company.
England and Wales only. WolfX is software, not a law firm.
What you can add
A £7,200 hire invoice and a banned director
Say you invoiced a company £7,200 on 15 July 2026, due on 14 August. On 30 September it is unpaid: 47 days late. Your search that afternoon shows the managing director disqualified from 10 March 2025, with no permission to act, and he is still running the company. This is an illustration, not a real case.
- The invoice£7,200.00
- Interest: £7,200 × 11.75% ÷ 365 × 47 days8£108.94
- Fixed sum (invoices from £1,000 to £9,999.99)9£70.00
- The register search1£0.00
- Claim against the company on 30 September 2026£7,378.94
It went late on 15 August, so the second-half 2026 rate applies, 11.75% a year11, which is 8% above Bank Rate10. It grows by £2.32 a day until they pay. The invoice falls inside the ban, so section 154 makes him answerable, jointly with the company, for debts incurred while he was involved in managing it. You can claim the debt from either, not twice. A hit on the first day of the account would have meant a deposit.
The road ahead
Six steps. All free.
Step 2: Match the person, not the name
Names repeat. A record carries an address and date of birth, where available1: compare them with the director's details before you read anything into a hit.
Step 3: Read the hit in order
The reason first, then the start date, then how many disqualifications the person has had, then whether they have permission to continue to act1. A person can act with a court's leave, so a hit does not automatically bar the person from this company.
A ban lasts up to 15 years3, and the record is removed when it ends.
Step 4: Know what a clear result leaves out
Step 5: Set the ban's dates against your invoice
The law reaches debts the company took on while that person was involved in its management4 in breach of the ban, and people who act on a banned person's instructions. Write down the start date of the ban next to the date of your invoice or order.
If your debt falls inside the ban, write to the person as well as the company, even in a liquidation. A claim against an individual follows the debt protocol12: 30 days to reply before a court claim. For a large sum, ask a solicitor who does debt recovery.
The letter
This page is about checking a register; there is nothing to send to anyone.
When not to bother
When it isn't worth it
- A small first order, paid up front. You carry no risk, so the search can wait until the account grows.
- You are dealing with a sole trader. There is no director to search; check the person on the bankruptcy and insolvency register6 instead.
- The hit shows permission to act. A person acting with the court's leave is not in breach, so section 154 does not make them liable; claim from the company as normal.
- The debt is older than the ban. The law reaches only debts incurred while the person was involved in management4 in breach, so a ban that began after your invoice does not help you.
The Wolf's note
A clear result is a reading for today, not a character reference. A hit is a date to hold your invoice against. Write both down with the day you looked, then set your terms from that.
Mr. Wolf · the AI inside WolfX
What comes next
Your next move
Is this company legit? How do I check a UK company before I work for it?
Go by the company number, not the name.
5 min read · Letter included
How do I check a new client can pay before I start work?
Only partly. Ten minutes on the free records shows who a client is, not whether it will pay.
6 min read · Letter included
If they still won't pay
How do I take a company to court for an unpaid invoice?
Send a letter before action, then claim online.
7 min read · Letter included
Don't want to do this yourself?
The Wolf does every step for you. He works out the sums, writes the letters and keeps track of every date. Nothing goes without your yes.