# UK Companies House Scraper — Official API (`chrisp1211/companies-house-scraper-max`) Actor

Scrape UK company data from the official Companies House API: company profile, officers and persons of significant control. Bring your own free Companies House key. Pay per record; empty or failed runs cost nothing.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/chrisp1211/companies-house-scraper-max.md
- **Developed by:** [Christian Pichichero](https://apify.com/chrisp1211) (community)
- **Categories:** Business
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$3.00 / 1,000 records

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## UK Companies House Scraper — Official API

**UK Companies House Scraper — Official API** — a fast, reliable companies house scraper that needs **no API key**. You pay only for the results you get: failed or empty runs are always free.

This companies house scraper runs on the [Apify platform](https://apify.com), so you can call it from the API, run it on a schedule, or export results to JSON, CSV, Excel, or Google Sheets.

### What this scraper does

- Extracts structured **companies house** data with no browser or API key required
- Returns clean JSON, one record per result — ready for sheets, databases, or apps
- Pay-per-result pricing: you are never charged for a run that returns nothing
- Runs on demand or on a schedule, and integrates with 5,000+ apps via the Apify API and webhooks

### What data you get

Each result record includes fields such as:

- **Number** (`number`) — e.g. `"00445790"`
- **Name** (`name`) — e.g. `"TESCO PLC"`
- **Status** (`status`) — e.g. `"active"`
- **Company Type** (`companyType`) — e.g. `"plc"`
- **Incorporated On** (`incorporatedOn`) — e.g. `"1947-11-27"`
- **Dissolved On** (`dissolvedOn`) — e.g. `null`
- **Address** (`address`) — e.g. `"Tesco House Shire Park, Kestrel Way, Welwyn Garden City,...`
- **Sic Codes** (`sicCodes`) — e.g. `["47110"]`
- **Jurisdiction** (`jurisdiction`) — e.g. `"england-wales"`
- **Accounts Next Due** (`accountsNextDue`) — e.g. `"2024-11-30"`
- **Has Charges** (`hasCharges`) — e.g. `true`
- **Source** (`source`) — e.g. `"profile"`

### Input

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `apiKey` | string | Your free API key from developer.company-information.service.gov.uk (register an application, create a REST... |
| `searchQueries` | array | Company names or keywords to search (e.g. 'tesco', 'aviva insurance'). |
| `companyNumbers` | array | Specific company registration numbers to fetch full profiles for (e.g. 00445790, SC123456). |
| `includeOfficers` | boolean | Also fetch directors/secretaries for each company (extra records). |
| `includePsc` | boolean | Also fetch PSCs (beneficial owners) for each company (extra records). |
| `companyStatus` | string | Optionally keep only companies with this status (e.g. active, dissolved). Leave empty for all. |
| `maxResults` | integer | Maximum companies returned per search query. |

### Example output

```json
{
  "type": "company",
  "number": "00445790",
  "name": "TESCO PLC",
  "status": "active",
  "companyType": "plc",
  "incorporatedOn": "1947-11-27",
  "dissolvedOn": null,
  "address": "Tesco House Shire Park, Kestrel Way, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1GA, United Kingdom",
  "sicCodes": [
    "47110"
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "england-wales",
  "accountsNextDue": "2024-11-30",
  "hasCharges": true,
  "source": "profile",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-07-10T00:00:00Z"
}
```

### Use cases

- Run market and competitor research
- Enrich due-diligence and financial analysis
- Feed dashboards and reporting pipelines
- Power fintech and investment tools

### Pricing

This actor uses **pay-per-result** pricing at **$0.001 per record**. There is no monthly fee and no start fee — and **empty or failed runs cost $0**, so you only ever pay for data you actually receive.

### Frequently asked questions

**Do I need an API key or account for the source?** No. This companies house scraper works out of the box with no API key required.

**What happens if a run returns no results?** You are not charged. Billing is per result, so empty or failed runs are free.

**Can I run the companies house scraper on a schedule?** Yes. Use the Apify Scheduler to run it hourly, daily, or on any cron schedule, and get results by webhook or API.

**What export formats are supported?** Results can be exported as JSON, CSV, Excel, HTML, or pushed to Google Sheets, a database, or your own app via the Apify API.

**Is the data structured?** Yes. Every companies house result is a clean, flat JSON record you can use immediately.

# Actor input Schema

## `apiKey` (type: `string`):

Your free API key from developer.company-information.service.gov.uk (register an application, create a REST/live key). Sent as HTTP Basic auth (key as username, blank password). Required.

## `searchQueries` (type: `array`):

Company names or keywords to search (e.g. 'tesco', 'aviva insurance').

## `companyNumbers` (type: `array`):

Specific company registration numbers to fetch full profiles for (e.g. 00445790, SC123456).

## `includeOfficers` (type: `boolean`):

Also fetch directors/secretaries for each company (extra records).

## `includePsc` (type: `boolean`):

Also fetch PSCs (beneficial owners) for each company (extra records).

## `companyStatus` (type: `string`):

Optionally keep only companies with this status (e.g. active, dissolved). Leave empty for all.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum companies returned per search query.

## `maxCostUsd` (type: `integer`):

HARD budget cap. The run stops cleanly with partial data before exceeding this.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

The Companies House API is an open government API; no proxy needed. Default is fine.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchQueries": [
    "tesco"
  ],
  "companyNumbers": [],
  "includeOfficers": false,
  "includePsc": false,
  "maxResults": 50,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchQueries": [
        "tesco"
    ],
    "companyNumbers": [],
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": false
    }
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("chrisp1211/companies-house-scraper-max").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searchQueries": ["tesco"],
    "companyNumbers": [],
    "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": False },
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("chrisp1211/companies-house-scraper-max").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchQueries": [
    "tesco"
  ],
  "companyNumbers": [],
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}' |
apify call chrisp1211/companies-house-scraper-max --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=chrisp1211/companies-house-scraper-max",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/U9g4JYIGoKjnN0lMM/builds/SO2hPvpdZcwatoDJA/openapi.json