Business entities in the British Isles

• `corporation' - publicly owned company, e.g. BBC.

• company

• Private Limited Company (private company limited by shares) - shareholders have limited liability and shares cannot be offered to the general public

• obligatory suffix:

• Ltd. - England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland

• Cyf. - Wales

• Teo. - Gaeltacht

• Private Unlimited Company (very rare)

• non obligatory suffix: Ultd. or Unltd.

• Company Limited by Guarantee - non-profit organizations with legal personality

• Public Limited Company (joint stock company) - shares are offered to the public

• obligatory suffix:

• PLC./plc. - England, Scotland, Northern Ireland

• ccc. - Wales

• cpt. - the Republic of Ireland

• partnership

• general partnership

• limited partnership

• limited liability partnership

• community interest company (CIC) (introduced in 2005)