What is a registered office address?
A registered office address is a mandatory correspondence address provided by every limited company (and limited liability partnership) during incorporation. While companies must maintain a registered office continuously, they can change the address whenever necessary.
The registered office serves as an official address for Companies House, HMRC, and other government agencies to deliver statutory communications and legal notices securely. It is also where companies must make their statutory registers available for public inspection, unless an alternative location is designated for this purpose.
A registered office address must be located within the same UK country or jurisdiction where the company is registered (England and Wales, Wales only, Scotland, or Northern Ireland). It does not have to be in the same country where the company conducts its main trading activities.
Only full, physical postal addresses can be used as registered offices, and they must meet the ‘appropriate address‘ conditions specified in the Companies Act 2006. Both residential and non-residential (commercial) addresses are permissible, excluding PO Boxes, though many opt for commercial addresses to maintain privacy.
Why do I need a registered office for my limited company?
All limited companies incorporated in the UK require a registered office because:
- It is mandated by the Companies Act 2006.
- An official contact address is essential for receiving government communications and notices.
- Maintaining an official address on the public register at Companies House promotes transparency in corporate operations in the UK.
- It serves as the location where statutory company registers must be stored and made available for public inspection.
Companies also have the option to use a Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL) address for inspections or keep certain statutory registers at Companies House instead.
Do I need a registered office for a limited liability partnership?
Certainly. To establish a limited liability partnership (LLP), a registered office must be maintained within the UK jurisdiction where the LLP is incorporated – England and Wales, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.
What is the difference between a registered office and a service address?
A registered office serves as the official address of a limited company or LLP. It is where correspondence and legal notices from UK government agencies are delivered.
A service address, on the other hand, is the official contact address for individual directors, LLP members, company secretaries, subscribers (the founding shareholders), and people with significant control (PSCs). Personal statutory mail from government agencies, such as Companies House and HMRC, is delivered to the individual’s service address.
Both are mandatory under UK company law and are recorded in the Companies House register. However, unlike a registered office, a service address can be located anywhere in the world – although you have the option to use the same postal address for both your registered office and service address if desired.
What is the difference between a registered office and a business address?
The registered office serves as the official address for your company, where only statutory mail from government agencies is delivered. In contrast, a business address is used as a contact point for all other correspondence, including communications from clients/customers, suppliers, utility providers, and other third parties.
Companies operating in various regions of the UK or internationally may maintain multiple business addresses to establish local points of contact in each location. This strategy effectively enhances their presence in diverse markets.
While there’s no legal mandate for a business address to match the registered office, companies can opt to use the same address for both purposes, provided it meets the registered office criteria. Many businesses, such as shops and restaurants operating from commercial premises, choose this approach.
Can I move my company’s registered office to a different country?
Although Companies House is the Registrar of Companies for the entire UK, it operates under three separate jurisdictions: England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, each with its own judicial system.
In legal proceedings, a company’s case is heard by the court of the jurisdiction governed by the Companies Act 2006. Therefore, a registered office can only be located in the country where the company is incorporated.
England and Wales constitute a single jurisdiction, allowing for a registered office in England to be moved to Wales, and vice versa. However, if registering a “Welsh company” the registered office must be in Wales.
For all other cases, you can change your registered office address at any time but cannot move it to another country post-formation.
Companies can trade in all three jurisdictions. To expand geographically, consider establishing business addresses in other UK regions or overseas.
Can I change my registered office address?
Yes, you can change your registered office address at any time and as frequently as needed, provided it remains within the same UK jurisdiction. It’s crucial to notify Companies House promptly of any changes.
Updates to the address details will typically reflect on the public register within about 24 hours. Ensure all statutory records are transferred to the new registered office, unless you opt to use a Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL) address instead.
How to change a registered office
To change a registered office, company directors must first approve the change. They must then complete either Companies House form AD01 (for companies) or form LLAD01 (for LLPs) and submit it via WebFiling to the Registrar. Or you can do it with Startxpress!
Companies House verifies the new address using the Post Office database, so providing the complete address with the correct postcode is essential. Once the new address is approved, the public register is updated typically within 24 hours.
Your new registered office address will only take effect once Companies House has updated it in their database. At that point, you should update your stationery and ensure any statutory records are transferred to the new address if necessary.
How many companies can be registered to one address?
Companies House does not restrict the number of companies that can share the same registered office address. It is common and not indicative of fraudulent activity.
Furthermore, these companies do not need to be affiliated or part of the same group. They can be entirely separate entities with different owners and business operations, yet still use the same registered office address.
Are there any space limitations?
A company’s registered office address doesn’t require it to conduct trading activities or have personnel like directors, secretaries, shareholders, or employees based there. This means there are no space-related limitations in this regard.
However, handling mail is crucial. Official correspondence, including mail from government agencies like Companies House and HMRC, as well as court documents, must be accessible to the company directors at the registered office address.
Before finalizing your registered office address (especially if it differs from your residential address), ensure you can reliably receive and access all official mail intended for your company.
Can a registered office address be removed from public view?
Once you submit a registered office address to the Companies House, it becomes publicly visible on the register. Therefore, choosing the right address is crucial when forming a company to ensure privacy and accessibility for official communications.
When can a home address be removed from the public register?
Since 2018, with the implementation of the Companies (Disclosure of Address) (Amendment) Regulations 2018, it has been possible for most residential addresses to be removed from the public register. These regulations, now part of section 1088 of the Companies Act 2006, allow directors and certain others to request the removal of their home addresses from publicly available company documents. However, these rules currently do not apply to registered office addresses.
Under the new measures outlined in the Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Act 2023, individuals will soon be able to remove home address details from historical filings on the register, even if the address was previously used as a registered office. These changes will take effect in the coming years.
To avoid these issues altogether, it’s advisable to always use a non-residential address as both the registered office and service address for your company. Many options exist, such as professional address services offered by company formation agents like Startxpress, particularly useful if you don’t have your own commercial premises.
Where to display registered office details
You must prominently display your company’s registered office address on all official stationery, including emails, brochures, and websites.
Additionally, you must display your company’s full name on a visible sign at the registered office, unless the premises are primarily residential or your company has been dormant since incorporation.
Statutory records you must keep at a registered office address
Private limited companies must maintain some or all of their statutory records at their registered office, unless they choose to keep them at a Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL) or at Companies House.
These statutory records may include the following, where applicable:
- Register of members
- Register of company directors
- Register of company secretaries
- Register of people with significant control
- Directors’ service contracts
- Directors’ indemnities – security against liability claims or legal costs
- Copies of resolutions
- Minutes of meetings
- Contracts relating to purchase of own shares
- Documents relating to redemption or purchase of own shares out of capital by private company
- Register of debenture holders
- Instruments creating charges and register of charges
These records can be kept in either hard-copy format, such as bound or loose-leaf books, or in digital format. Additionally, any supplementary registers your company maintains, like the register of allotments, should also be kept at the registered office or at an approved alternative location.
Do you have any other questions?
Setting up a registered office in the UK is a simple step in company formation, but the address must be valid and legally compliant. The office must be a physical UK location where official correspondence from Companies House and HMRC is sent.
Choosing the right registered office is vital, as it impacts the company’s public record. Failure to maintain it properly can result in compliance issues or penalties.
For further insights, explore the Startxpress Help Center and Blog. If you have questions or need support, reach out anytime at support@startxpress.io!
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