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August 27, 2026
What Is a Registered Office Address for a UK Limited Company?
A registered office address is the official legal address of a UK limited company. It is the address recorded at Companies House and used for receiving official correspondence, legal notices and documents addressed to the company.
Every UK limited company must maintain an appropriate registered office address throughout its existence.
The registered office is the company’s official contact address for communications from organisations such as:
Directors must ensure that correspondence delivered to this address reaches someone acting for the company.
Failing to receive or respond to an important document because nobody checks the address will not necessarily excuse the company from a filing deadline or legal obligation.
A registered office must be:
This is known as an appropriate address.
A Royal Mail PO Box—or a similar mailbox-only service—cannot be used as the registered office.
The current requirements are explained in the official Companies House registered office guidance.
Yes. The registered office must remain in the jurisdiction where the company was incorporated.
The UK registration jurisdictions are:
For example:
Changing the registered office does not allow a company to move its jurisdiction of incorporation.
No. The registered office does not have to be the company’s shop, warehouse or main place of business.
A company can trade from one location while using another appropriate address as its registered office.
For example, it may use:
The company must have permission to use the address and ensure that official post is received and forwarded promptly.
Yes. A director or shareholder can use a home address if it satisfies the registered-office requirements.
However, the address will be displayed on the public Companies House register. Anyone searching for the company may be able to view it.
If privacy is important, the company should consider using a professional registered-office service or another authorised business address.
Yes. The current registered office address is publicly available through the Companies House register.
Previous registered office addresses may also remain visible in the company’s public filing history after the address is changed.
A company owner should therefore consider privacy before using a residential address. Changing it later does not automatically remove it from historical filings.
A virtual-office or registered-office service may be used if the address satisfies all legal requirements.
The provider must be able to:
A service that provides only a PO Box or does not reliably handle company post may not qualify.
Yes, provided the accountant, solicitor or other adviser gives permission and the address meets the appropriate-address requirements.
The company should understand:
No. They are separate addresses, although the same location can sometimes be used for both.
A registered office is the official address of the company.
A director’s service address is the public correspondence address for that individual in their role as a director.
The director must also give Companies House their usual residential address. That residential address is generally kept on a private register unless it is also used as a public service or registered office address.
Not necessarily.
A trading address is where the company conducts business or communicates with customers and suppliers. A company may have several trading locations but only one registered office at a time.
The registered office should not be presented as a physical trading location if the company does not conduct business there.
No. UK companies must also provide an appropriate registered email address to Companies House.
The registered email address:
The company must maintain both an appropriate postal address and an appropriate email address.
A limited company must generally include its registered office details on relevant business communications and company information, including its:
The company should also display its registered name at the registered office, subject to any applicable exceptions.
Yes. A company can change its registered office whenever necessary, provided the new address remains in the same UK jurisdiction and meets the appropriate-address requirements.
The company must notify Companies House. The change does not officially take effect until Companies House registers it.
The company should then update:
Companies House will normally inform HMRC of the registered-office change, but the company should consider whether other HMRC records also require updating.
The company must generally notify Companies House within 14 days of changing its registered office.
The change can normally be submitted through the online Companies House service or by filing form AD01.
If Companies House determines that the address is not appropriate, it may change the registered office to a default address held at Companies House.
The company may then be required to provide:
If it does not provide an acceptable address within the required period, Companies House may begin action to strike the company off the register.
Using an inappropriate registered office may also constitute an offence by the company and responsible officers.
The company remains responsible for correspondence delivered to its registered office.
Missing a letter can result in:
Directors should regularly check the address or use a reliable provider that promptly scans and forwards correspondence.
A suitable registered office should:
A registered office is the official legal address of a UK limited company. It is used for receiving government correspondence and legal documents and is published on the Companies House register.
The address must be physical, appropriate and located in the same UK jurisdiction where the company was incorporated. A home, professional adviser’s office or registered-office service may be used, but the company must have permission and reliable access to all correspondence.
This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice.
