What is Table A

Table A is simply the name given to the prescribed format for Articles of Association of a company limited by shares. The Articles set out the regulations by which the company will be managed. The first prescribed format of Articles was made in “The Joint Stock Companies Act, 1856”. In this Act, the Articles were called “Table B” (simply because they were preceded by a form of Memorandum of Association called “Form A”). At the next prescription, which happened in 1862, the Memorandum was moved into the body of the Act and the Articles became “Table A”. This naming convention for the Articles continued through legislation introduced in 1906, 1908, 1929, 1948 (and amendments made in 1967, 1976, 1980, 1981), and July 1985 (and amendments made in August 1985 and 2000) and in 2007.

When a company limited by shares is incorporated, it does not need to file Articles if it wishes to use Table A as its Articles. In this case, if you search the records of a company limited by shares you may not find a document setting out its Articles. Certain provisions of Table A may also apply to a company which has filed Articles, if the company’s Articles have not specifically excluded or modified Table A. In either case, if you want to see the regulations that govern the management of the company, you need to refer to the relevant Table A.

It is generally not recommended that a company adopts all of Table A. Most UK companies adopt a modified set of articles of association. For more information see our pages relating to company documents.