General Optical Council

We keep a register of bodies corporate (“business registrants”). 

A body corporate is a limited company or limited liability partnership that has been incorporated with Companies House.

Bodies corporate can register with the GOC if they meet the requirements in Section 9 of the Opticians Act. Usually, this will mean that the majority of company directors are registered optometrists and/or dispensing opticians.

If a body corporate is using a protected title in their company name, they must be registered with us as a body corporate. Additionally, if a company takes or uses a name that implies that it is registered with the GOC, then it must ensure that it is registered. NB Section 28(6) of the Act makes it clear that if a company uses the title “optician”, it will be presumed to be implying that it is registered with the GOC.

A business registrant has a GOC registration number starting CO-. 
 

How to register

What do I have to do?
If you want to use a protected title as part of your company name:

• Complete an Application for Registration (Bodies Corporate) form. Leave the ‘company registration number’ and ‘date of incorporation’ sections blank. 
• Return the form, along with the £219 fee, to us at: Registration team, General Optical Council, 41 Harley Street, W1G 8DJ.
• If there are no problems with your application, we send you a letter of authorisation.
• Send the letter of authorisation to Companies House. They will ‘incorporate’ your company using the protected title.
• Send us a copy of the incorporation certificate. We then add your business to the bodies corporate register.    

If are not using a protected title as part of your company name:

• Apply to get your company incorporated with Companies House. 
• Complete an Application for Registration (Bodies Corporate) form.
• Return the form, along with the £219 fee, to us at: Registration team, General Optical Council, 41 Harley Street, W1G 8DJ.
• If there are no problems with your application, we add your business to the bodies corporate register.

You must renew your registration as a body corporate each year by 15 March (‘retention’).

What do I get?
We send you a certificate stating your business’s GOC registration number
(starting CO-).