Registered office address

Every UK company needs a registered office: the official address where legal letters and notices are sent. It's on the public register, so where you put it matters.

The rules

• A physical UK address in the same part of the UK the company was registered in.^source
• "Appropriate" at all times.^source Post delivered there must be expected to come to the attention of someone acting for the company^source, and delivery must be able to be recorded with an acknowledgement, such as a signature.^source
• No PO Boxes, from Royal Mail or anyone else.^source

Failing to keep an appropriate address without a reasonable excuse is an offence by the company and every officer in default.^source

Home address or a service?

If you use your home address as the registered office, it will be available to the public.^source The common alternatives:

How to change your registered office address

1. Make sure the new address is in the same part of the UK as where the company was incorporated.^source
2. File the change online with Companies House, which needs your company authentication code, or use paper form AD01.^source A paper form is needed in some cases, for example if the address was moved to the Companies House default address.^source
3. Confirm in the notice that the new address is appropriate.^source

The change takes effect once Companies House registers it.^source For 14 days after that, documents can still be validly served at the old address. Companies House tells HMRC about the change for you.^source

If your address isn't appropriate

Companies House can move an inappropriate registered office to a default address it holds.^source The company then has 28 days to provide an appropriate address, with evidence of ownership, or Companies House could start striking the company off.