A registered office address is the official UK address of a limited company — the legal address for all statutory correspondence from HMRC and Companies House. Every company incorporated in the UK must have one at all times, it must be a physical address (not a PO box), it must be in the same UK country as the company's incorporation, and it is publicly visible on the Companies House register.
What are the legal requirements for a UK registered office address?
The requirements are set out in the Companies Act 2006 and enforced by Companies House. There are four hard rules, and breaking any of them puts the company in breach of its statutory obligations.
Physical UK address. The address must be a real, physical location in the UK — a full street address where mail can be physically delivered. A PO box alone does not satisfy the requirement, though a PO box can be included as part of a full address. A virtual office service qualifies provided it delivers mail or scans it digitally on receipt.
Same country as incorporation. If your company is registered in England and Wales, the registered office must be an England or Wales address. A Scottish address is not valid for an England-and-Wales company, and vice versa. Northern Ireland companies must use a Northern Ireland address.
Always current. The registered office must be kept up to date on the Companies House register at all times. If you move offices, close a virtual office service, or change your accountant, you must file a change of registered office (form AD01) before the old address stops being usable. A lapse in the address can mean you miss HMRC or court correspondence — with potentially serious consequences.
Publicly visible. The registered office is part of the public Companies House record. Anyone can look it up. This is by design — it is how creditors, HMRC, and courts know where to contact your company formally.
What are the options for a UK registered office address?
There are four main options. Each involves different costs, privacy implications, and practical trade-offs.
Home address
- · Cost: Free
- · Privacy: None — home address on public register permanently
- · Best for: Founders with no privacy concern and a stable home address
- · Risk: Historical record stays even if you later change the address; can attract unsolicited contact at home
Virtual office service
- · Cost: Typically £50–£150 per year
- · Privacy: Good — personal home address kept off the register
- · Best for: Founders working from home who want a professional, private address
- · Risk: Ensure the provider scans and forwards statutory mail promptly — missing a Companies House or HMRC notice can cause real problems
Accountant's address
- · Cost: Often included in a formation or compliance package
- · Privacy: Good — accountant's office address visible, not your home
- · Best for: Companies with an ongoing accountant relationship
- · Risk: If you change accountants, you must file an address change promptly — many founders forget and the old accountant keeps receiving their statutory mail
Real business address (office, studio, workshop)
- · Cost: Included in office/lease cost
- · Privacy: Neutral — a commercial address rather than a personal one
- · Best for: Companies with a permanent physical presence
- · Risk: If you move or the lease ends, you must file a change immediately — companies often miss this during the chaos of a move
Is your registered office address public?
Yes — entirely and permanently. The registered office address is one of the core pieces of company information on the Companies House public register. Anyone can search companies.house.gov.uk and find your registered office instantly, at no cost.
Statutory correspondence is sent to the registered office. This includes HMRC notices (tax demands, penalty notices, compliance letters), Companies House letters (filing reminders, strike-off warnings), and formal legal notices served on the company. A physical address that can reliably receive and forward this mail is not optional — it is a legal requirement.
From March 2024, individuals who previously used their home address as a director's service address can apply to Companies House to have it suppressed from the public record, under certain conditions. However, the registered office address itself cannot be suppressed — it remains public. This is a critical distinction: if you used your home as the registered office and want privacy, you must file a change of address first, then apply for suppression of any director service address entries.
How do you change a registered office address?
Changing the registered office is straightforward and free. File form AD01 with Companies House via WebFiling. The change takes effect on the same day it is accepted — there is no processing delay and no fee per GOV.UK.
The new address must satisfy all the same requirements as the original: physical UK address, same country as incorporation, and somewhere that can receive statutory mail. Before you file the AD01, make sure the new address provider is ready to receive correspondence — there is no grace period between the old address ceasing to be used and the new one taking effect.
After filing, notify HMRC separately if you want HMRC correspondence to go to the new address. Companies House and HMRC do not automatically sync address changes for all purposes — update your HMRC business tax account directly to avoid mail going to the old address.
| Action | Form | Fee | Takes effect |
|---|
| Change registered office address | AD01 | Free (per GOV.UK) | Same day as filing |
| Change director's service address | CH01 | Free | Same day as filing |
| Apply to suppress home address from register | SR01 (service address) / RH01 (ROA) | £55 per address per GOV.UK | Subject to Companies House review |
| Confirm new address at next annual review | CS01 (confirmation statement) | £34 online per GOV.UK | Annual filing |
Fees and forms per GOV.UK / Companies House, May 2026.
For a complete picture of what setting up a limited company involves beyond the registered office decision, the how to set up a limited company guide covers every step from name check to post-formation compliance. The Rajoka starting a business guides include registered office options, formation checklists, and early compliance resources.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a PO box as a UK company's registered office address?
No. A PO box alone does not satisfy the registered office requirement, per Companies House. The address must be a physical location where documents can be delivered. Some addresses include a PO box as part of a full street address — this is acceptable provided the street address is also present and mail can be physically received there.
Does the registered office have to be where the company actually operates?
No. The registered office is a legal address for statutory mail, not necessarily the trading address. Many companies use an accountant's address or a virtual office as the registered office while trading from a completely different location. The trading address appears on invoices and contracts, not on Companies House.
What happens if I change accountants — do I need to change my registered office?
Yes, if your accountant's address is your current registered office. You must file form AD01 with Companies House to update the address before the old one becomes invalid. There is no fee per GOV.UK, and the change takes effect the same day. Failing to do this means your statutory mail goes to your old accountant.
Can I use a Scottish address for an England and Wales registered company?
No. Per Companies House requirements, the registered office must be in the same country as the company's incorporation. An England and Wales company must have an England or Wales registered office. A Scottish company must use a Scottish address. This cannot be changed without re-incorporating — it is baked into the company's jurisdiction at formation.