Definition
A registered office address is a company’s official address on the Companies House register, where Companies House, HMRC and others send formal post, including the company authentication code. Since 4 March 2024 it must be an “appropriate address”: post delivered there must reach someone acting for the company, and delivery must be capable of being acknowledged. PO boxes are no longer allowed.
Rules to know
- It must be a physical address in the part of the UK where the company is registered. A Scottish company needs a Scottish address and cannot move its office to England.
- The address is public, so a home used as the registered office appears on the register.
- An accountant’s or agent’s address can be used with permission, if their service meets the appropriate address test.
- Every company must also give Companies House a registered email address, which is not published.
If the address fails the test
Using an address that is not appropriate is an offence. Companies House can move the registered office to a default address, and the company then has 28 days to provide an appropriate one, with evidence, or risk being struck off.
A change of address is filed on form AD01 and takes effect only once Companies House registers it. Each confirmation statement is also the moment to confirm your company details, including the registered office.
Related questions
- Can I use my home address as my company's registered office? Yes, if post will reach someone at the company, but the address becomes public.
- What is a Companies House authentication code and how do I get one? The six-character filing code Companies House posts to the registered office.
Related terms
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Companies House
Companies House is the UK's registrar of companies, an executive agency sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade.
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Companies House authentication code
The Companies House authentication code is a six-character code of letters and numbers that Companies House issues to every company.
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Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA)
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) is the UK law reforming Companies House and the information companies must file.
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Confirmation statement
A confirmation statement (form CS01) is the filing in which a company confirms that the information Companies House holds about it is correct, such as its officers…
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