What Is a SAIL Address? A Guide for UK Limited Companies

A SAIL address is a Single Alternative Inspection Location — an address where your UK limited company keeps its statutory registers available for public inspection, separate from its registered office. If you use a virtual office as your registered office, or simply don't want the public turning up at your trading premises to inspect company records, a SAIL address gives you a compliant alternative.

In this guide, we'll explain what a SAIL address is, whether you need one, and how to set one up with Companies House.

What Does SAIL Stand For?

SAIL stands for Single Alternative Inspection Location. It's a concept defined in the Companies Act 2006 that allows a company to keep its statutory registers and records at a location other than its registered office address.

By default, every UK limited company must make certain statutory registers available for public inspection at its registered office. But if that's not practical — for example, if your registered office is a virtual address or your home — you can nominate a SAIL address instead.

The SAIL address must be in the same part of the UK where your company is registered. So if your company is registered in England and Wales, your SAIL address must also be in England or Wales.

Do I Need a SAIL Address?

Not every company needs one. Here's how to decide:

You probably don't need a SAIL address if:

• Your registered office is a physical premises where you can make registers available for inspection
• You've elected to keep your statutory registers at Companies House (more on this below)

You probably do need a SAIL address if:

• Your registered office is a virtual office address and you keep your own statutory registers
• You run your business from home and don't want members of the public visiting to inspect records
• Your company operates from a different location to your registered office

There is a simpler alternative, though. Since 2016, companies can elect to keep most statutory registers at Companies House itself, rather than maintaining them privately. If you make this election (using form EL01), you won't need to provide a location for public inspection at all — Companies House handles it for you.

Most small businesses and startups choose to keep their registers at Companies House, which removes the need for a SAIL address entirely.

What Statutory Records Must Be Available at a SAIL Address?

If you do maintain your own registers (rather than keeping them at Companies House), the following must be available for public inspection at either your registered office or your SAIL address:

• Register of members (shareholders)
• Register of directors
• Register of directors' residential addresses (not publicly available, but must be maintained)
• Register of secretaries (if your company has one)
• Register of people with significant control (PSC register)
• Copies of directors' service contracts (or a memorandum of their terms)
• Records of resolutions and meetings

Any member of the public can request to inspect these registers during normal business hours. If you fail to make them available, your company — and every officer in default — could face a fine.

SAIL Address vs Registered Office Address

These serve different purposes, and it's important not to confuse them.

Your registered office is where HMRC, Companies House, and other official bodies send correspondence. It's a legal requirement for every UK limited company, and it must be a real physical address — not a PO box.

Your SAIL address is where people can inspect your company records. It's only needed if you keep your statutory registers at a location other than your registered office.

They can be the same address — but they don't have to be. Both are publicly visible on the Companies House register.

For a deeper look at registered offices, read our guide on what a registered office address is and why you need one.

Can I Use a Virtual Office as a SAIL Address?

Yes. A virtual office address can serve as both your registered office and your SAIL address, provided the provider can accommodate inspection requests during normal business hours.

At The Hoxton Mix, our Virtual Office London Plan gives you a professional registered office address at 66 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NA — in the heart of Shoreditch. We handle all Companies House and HMRC correspondence on your behalf, with mail scanning and upload to your customer portal included.

Our plan starts from under £21/month billed annually, or £24.99/month billed monthly — with no long-term contracts.

See our virtual office plans and pricing →

That said, most small companies are better off electing to keep their registers at Companies House (using form EL01). This removes the need for a SAIL address entirely and means you don't need to worry about inspection requests.

How to Register a SAIL Address with Companies House

If you do need a SAIL address, here's how to set one up:

To register a SAIL address: File form AD02 (Notice of single alternative inspection location) with Companies House. You can do this online via Companies House WebFiling or by post.

The form requires:

• Your company number
• The full SAIL address
• Confirmation that records will be available for inspection there

To change your SAIL address: File form AD03 (Change of single alternative inspection location).

To remove your SAIL address: File form AD04 (Notice that company has ceased to have a single alternative inspection location). This means registers must then be kept at your registered office — or you can elect to keep them at Companies House using form EL01.

There is no Companies House fee for filing any of these forms.

For help changing your registered office address, see our guide on how to change your registered company address.

Get a Compliant Business Address

Whether you need a registered office, a SAIL address, or both, a virtual office is the most affordable way to stay compliant without renting physical space.

At The Hoxton Mix, we've been providing London virtual office addresses to startups, freelancers, and growing businesses since 2012. Our Virtual Office London Plan starts from under £21/month with no lock-in contracts.

See our plans and get started →

FAQ

What is a SAIL address?

A SAIL address (Single Alternative Inspection Location) is an address where a UK limited company keeps its statutory registers for public inspection, instead of at its registered office. It must be in the same part of the UK where the company is registered.

Can I use my home as a SAIL address?

Yes, you can use your home address as a SAIL address. However, this means members of the public could request to inspect your company registers there during normal business hours. Many business owners prefer to use a virtual office address to avoid this.

Is a SAIL address the same as a registered office?

No. A registered office is your company's official legal address for government correspondence. A SAIL address is where statutory registers are kept for public inspection. They can be the same address, but a SAIL address is only needed if you keep your registers somewhere other than your registered office.

How much does a SAIL address cost?

There is no Companies House fee to register a SAIL address. The cost depends on the address itself — a virtual office that can serve as a SAIL address starts from under £21/month with The Hoxton Mix.

Do I need a SAIL address if I keep registers at Companies House?

No. If you elect to keep your statutory registers at Companies House (using form EL01), you don't need a SAIL address or to provide a location for public inspection. This is the simplest option for most small businesses.