All UK limited companies are required to provide a registered office address. So what are the legal requirements of a registered office? Government offices such as Companies House, HMRC and UK tax authorities will send letters to this address. This will include reminders to file documents and any legal notices served on the company. Companies House display the registered office address of all UK companies on a public database which can be accessed online.

A company’s registered office must be able to receive letters and documents relating to the company. Companies House do not allow the use of a PO Box address for the registered office of a company. The address must also be in the country of incorporation. Therefore a company registered in England and Wales must provide an address in England or Wales. Likewise, companies registered in Scotland must have a Scottish address.

UK companies are legally required to display the registered address on all stationery and correspondence with clients. This includes invoices and letters. The company name must be displayed outside address or at the entrance to the building if it is a large building with many offices. Since the introduction of the Companies Act 2006, it is also a legal requirement to display your registered office address on your company’s website.

When a company changes their registered office address the information must be recorded at Companies House. This can be done by filing an AD01 form online using Companies House web filing or by printing and posting the completed form. This will ensure important documents and notices relating to your company are delivered to the correct address. If the items are not received it could lead to your company being struck off Companies House registers and being dissolved.

Why use a Registered Office service provider?

A company’s trading address does not have to be the same as their registered office address. Therefore using a registered office service provider can be beneficial for owners of small businesses. this is particularly useful to those who trade from their home address. Using a registered office service prevents their private details being displayed on the public registers. The data on Companies House registers can be accessed online. A registered office address can also be useful to business owners who own a UK limited company and live outside of the UK as their company must legally provide a registered office within the UK.

An efficient registered office service provider will prevent junk mail being forwarded to your home address. They can filter out obvious junk mail and forward relevant items such as Companies House notices and HMRC letters. This will ensure your company files the necessary document to maintain accurate and up to date company records.

Small Firms Services can provide a registered office to your company from one of our addresses below.