795 active companies are registered in Shetland with Companies House. Out of 894 companies ever registered here, 67 are no longer active — a 89% survival rate. Business formation remains steady, with 41.1% of current companies established since 2020. A wave of registrations in the 2010s accounts for 43% of active companies, pointing to a decade of strong entrepreneurial activity. The most common industry sector is marine fishing, with 91 companies. Shetland is home to 13 FCA-regulated firms. Companies here hold 6 government contracts worth £15.2M in total. The average company age is 10.6 years. The earliest company registration in Shetland dates back to 1942.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, October 2026
A diverse local economy with no single sector accounting for more than 15% of businesses.
The average active company in Shetland is 10.6 years old. There are 13 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area.
Companies in Shetland have been awarded 6 government contracts with a combined value of £15.2M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 795 active companies registered in Shetland, out of 894 total. 67 (7%) are no longer active.
The top industries in Shetland include Marine fishing (91 companies), Other service activities n.e.c. (70 companies), Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (37 companies).
41.1% of currently active companies in Shetland were incorporated since 2020, indicating strong recent growth.
Our database contains 7,104 data signals across 10 categories for active companies in Shetland. The largest category is Governance with 3,381 signals from 5 sources.
The oldest company registration in Shetland dates back to 1942, spanning over 84 years of business history.