A company director can appoint someone to take their place for a period of time. We call this person an alternate director. The person who appoints them is the appointing director.
The alternate director may have some or all the powers and duties of the appointing director.
To appoint an alternate director, you must keep written records and notify us.
You must also tell us if their details change, and when they end the role.
When to appoint an alternate director
As a company director, you may be unable to carry out your role for a period of time. You can appoint an alternate director to act in your place.
You can appoint an alternate director for:
a set period
no set period, until you return to your duties.
Powers and duties of alternate directors
An alternate director can be given some or all of the powers as the appointing director. They can also have the same obligations as the appointing director.
You must remove an alternate director in writing. Your company must keep a copy for its records.
Your company must always have at least one director. You cannot remove an alternate director if they are the only director remaining.
If you remove the appointing director, this does not remove the alternate director - they remain unless you remove them too.
If the appointment had no proposed set end date, the company must notify us online within 28 days of the alternate director ending the role. Do this via the Company officeholder portal.
If the company notifies us more than 28 days after they ended the role, a late fee applies.
If the appointment had a proposed end date, the company does not need to tell us about the alternate director ending the role.
If we are notified within 28 days that the director has ended their role, we will record the cessation date as the date the company tells us that they ended.
If we are notified after 28 days, we will record the cessation date as the date the change was made, not the date the directorship ended.