What is a registered office address?
A registered office address is the official address of a UK company, shown publicly at Companies House, where legal documents and government letters are sent.
What a registered office address means
Every UK company must have a registered office in the same part of the UK where it is registered: England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. The address appears on the public register at Companies House, and it is where official letters, legal notices and many HMRC letters are sent.
Since 4 March 2024 the registered office must be an "appropriate address". That means documents sent there should come to the attention of someone acting for the company, and delivery can be recorded or acknowledged. A PO box on its own no longer qualifies. Companies must also give Companies House a registered email address, which is not made public.
The company's statutory registers, such as the register of members, can be kept at the registered office or at another notified address, or held on the central register.
Example
A director runs a consultancy from her flat in Bristol and does not want her home address on the public register. Her company is registered in England and Wales, so she can use any appropriate address in England or Wales, such as her accountant's office or a reputable registered office service in London. She files form AD01 online to change it, which is free. Her own correspondence address as a director is a separate service address, also changeable.
Where the address must be shown
The registered office address, the company's full name and its registered number must appear on business letters, order forms and the company's website. Invoices and emails should show the registered name, and many businesses add the number and address to their email signatures to stay compliant.
Why it matters for your business
- Privacy: anything you use as a registered office is visible to anyone who searches the register.
- Reliability: letters about penalties, strike-off or court claims must reach you quickly. Missing them can have serious consequences.
- Credibility: some clients and lenders look at the registered office when checking a business.
If you use a third party, make sure they forward or scan post promptly and that the arrangement meets the appropriate address rules. Cloudkeepers can advise on the options for clients.
Common questions
Yes, if it is in the same UK jurisdiction as your company. Remember that it will be public on the Companies House register indefinitely, including in historic filings. Many directors prefer to use an accountant's or service provider's address to keep their home private.
Often, yes. Many accountants offer this to clients and forward official post. The address must still meet the appropriate address rules, so the provider must pass documents on promptly and be able to acknowledge delivery when needed.