How to Set Up Business Mailing Address That Is Different From Your Physical One

Even though most businesses now rely on the Internet and electronic communications in daily operations, there is still a need for the post. In fact, snail mail in business is still thriving. And if you don’t want to reveal your physical address to senders, you don’t have to. After all, it’s not uncommon for businesses to have more than one address - in this case, for documentation and other types of deliveries.

Here, we’ll break down the differences between a physical and a mailing address for businesses and explain how to set up the right kinds of addresses.

What Is a Business Mailing Address in General?

A business mailing address is exactly what you think it is - an address for official business correspondence. This address can be linked to any office building, PO box, a business mail redirection service address, or any other location where you want to receive letters, reports, invoices, and confirmations of orders.

It can be the same as your registered, service, or trading address. However, if you’re running a business from home and don’t want to disclose where you live, or if you’re operating from abroad but want to receive mail in the UK, it makes sense to set up a separate address just for mail.

On paper, it is the same as any other address in the UK. It must include the addressees’ name, house number and street name, town, and full postcode. If you share your postal address with someone, they won’t be able to tell that this address is used strictly for mail. Of course, if your operations involve in-person visits, communicate that your mailing address is not for that.

When Do You Need a Mailing Address for Business?

Let’s look at scenarios in which you will need a business address:

You run an LLC - This type of business entity requires you to name a registered agent and have them handle correspondence. Although, it can’t be a PO box. We’ve already covered the topic of PO box alternatives, so check it out.
You don’t have a physical office - If you don’t have a regular office, e.g., when working from home, you don’t have to let business contacts in on your place of residence.
You receive more mail than you can handle - When you receive large quantities of mail or large, perhaps irregular-sized packages, you may want to use a mail handling service with its own address.
You want to be more professional - A mailing address makes a company look established and trustworthy. If a company takes the time to set up separate addresses, it shows commitment.
You run your company from abroad - With entrepreneurial spirit and initiatives booming around the world, many people have chosen to run their businesses from outside of the UK. A business mailing address in London, for example, comes in handy when you need to receive letters from the UK. The same goes for a mailing address for business tax returns.

Are There Any Differences Between a Mailing Address and a Physical Address?

The difference should be made clear to your business contacts and your clients. This is because if they send your post to a physical address, you may never receive it. Similarly, a client who enters your postal address into their GPS device will never make it to your actual location.

As we mentioned, you need to get a mailing address for a business to receive correspondence. But your physical street address serves other purposes:

Selling products and offering services in a brick-and-mortar location;
Registering a domain name;
Opening a merchant account;
Filing for legal contracts, licences, permits, etc.;
Creating listings on Google My Business, Bing Places, Yelp, Yell, etc.

A corporate enterprise may have a commercial space that is large enough to collect mail and store deliveries. But not all companies have a dedicated mailroom at their physical premises. It is far more convenient to have a separate small business mailing address. Plus, if you do it in a sought-after location (like a virtual mailbox in London), it instantly elevates your image.

The Simplest Way to Get a Business Mailing Address

Here is how to get a mailing address for a business:

Go to the Companies House website.
Find your company’s registered name.
Go to the tab “file for this company” and follow the steps as instructed.
Type in your new correspondence address (building, postcode). Alternatively, you can find the address on the map displayed in the same window.
Submit your changes and wait for a confirmation email (usually done in a few minutes).

A correspondence address is required not only for the business itself but also for shareholders or guarantors, company secretaries, and people with significant control.

Here is how to change a business mailing address:

Complete an AD01 form on the Companies House website.
Send the form electronically or by post.
Wait for the agency to process your application.

Once accepted, change the relevant info to match the new address (contact information, letterheads, brochures, reminders, websites, social media accounts, email signatures, etc.)

A mail postal address must include a street address in the UK, be in the same country as the registered address (e.g., if you’re registered in Wales, the correspondence must be sent to a location in Wales), follow the British Standard 7666, and be recorded by the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG).

Set Up a Business Mailing Address That Is Different from Your Physical Address

A correspondence address is listed on the public register, making it available for anyone to see. If it is your home address, it might be a problem for you in the future. For business owners who don’t want their residential address to be on the open register, a separate mailing address is a must. In this case, the home address will be private and only available to certain public authorities, such as the police.

A virtual mailing address is a great solution for situations when you need a separate correspondence address. The service offers a physical mailing address for a business that you don’t have to manage yourself.

Consider Hoxton Mix Your Trusted Business Mailing Address Provider

The Hoxton Mix enables you to keep your mail private and boast a premium postal location in the UK. Imagine a potential client or a promising business partner seeing that you receive mail in Shoreditch. A prestigious address like this instantly lends trust and credibility to your brand. Plus, it gives a sense of permanence - when people see an address in an area they recognise and like, they are less likely to worry that you’ll go out of business.

We have been in the business for a while and streamlined our operations to perfection. Our team is dedicated to provisioning the fastest service possible - now, it takes us only 10 minutes to set up your new address. But not only that: with our expertise and experience, our company does not compromise on quality. Make arrangements for a cheap business mailing address from anywhere in the world by contacting our specialists!

You can learn more about remote mail handling and our many additional services here - Virtual Office Plan.

Final Thoughts

You probably don’t need further convincing that an alternative mailing address is a good business decision. This option provides a fancy London address, makes you look more credible, leaves your physical location from open records, and allows you to travel. Sometimes, it’s even required by law.

What’s more, if you subscribe to a mail scanning and forwarding service, you free up a lot of time for your employees (or for yourself, if you operate a one-person business). This is what business optimisation is all about - identifying and implementing new methods to make processes more efficient and cost-effective.

FAQ

What is a business mailing address?

A business mailing address allows you to receive correspondence. It is not your principal place of business but rather an address where agencies, business contacts, and clients can send your post.

Is a mailing address the same as a business address?

It depends. Sometimes it’s more practical not to separate them, so there won’t be any difficulties with business address vs mailing address. But there are instances where business owners register two different addresses - one for its location and one for mail.

How do I get a mailing address for my business that is different from my physical address?

You can change a business mailing address by sending an application to Companies House. If you do it on the website, you can register a new postal address in just a few minutes.