CR12 Explained: What It Is and When You Need One

A CR12 is the official search document from the Business Registration Service that records a company's registered particulars: its directors, shareholders, and their shareholding, as filed at the registry. It is the document institutions trust over a company's own word about who owns it.

What a CR12 contains

• The company's registered name and registration number
• Current directors and their particulars
• Shareholders and their shareholding
• The registered office particulars on file

Who asks for a CR12

Banks request it when opening corporate accounts or advancing facilities, to confirm the signatories actually hold the positions they claim. Tender committees use it to verify ownership and eligibility. Advocates and investors order it during due diligence before a transaction. If you have been asked for "proof of directorship" or "company ownership documents", a CR12 is usually what satisfies the request.

How to get one

The request is filed against the company record at the registry, processed, and issued as an official copy. You need the company's exact registered name or registration number, the requester's ID, and where you are acting for the company, a signed authorization. The practical friction is registry queues and follow-up on stalled searches - which is why most directors have a firm file it for them.

Our CR12 Official Search service handles the request end to end and delivers the certified copy to you, digitally or in person in Nairobi.