What Addresses Do You Need to Register a Company in the UK?

If you’re considering launching a business for the first time, you probably recognise that you’ll need to provide an address for registering a company in the UK.

However, what you might not realise is that you need to provide an address for multiple different purposes when you register a business with Companies House. 

Choosing the right address is more than just compliance, it’s about protecting your privacy.

So, what addresses are needed when forming a company? Let’s take a look.

What addresses are needed when forming a company?

It’s important to note that the Companies House register of companies and company officers that it’s not just searchable by other directors or founders, but by everyone in the world. 

If someone knows your company’s registered name, or your name, they’ll be able to find your registered office address and director’s service address, and this is why it’s so important to think carefully before using your private residence.

You should also be aware that you can no longer use a PO box for any of the addresses we’re going to discuss in this article.

Registered office address

The registered office address is the official address of a limited company, or limited liability partnership, in the UK. It’s used by Companies House, HMRC and other government bodies to send official correspondence, and you’ll need to provide one when you form a new company. It is also publically available, so anyone can get access to it.

There are a two main requirements for the registered office address to be considered ‘appropriate’:

1. It must be a genuine physical address in the UK, not a PO Box; and
2. It must be located in the same part of the UK in which the company is registered, such as England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

You can use your home address, but because it’s published to the Companies House public record, you’ll be risking your privacy and professional reputation if you do.

A much better alternative is to use a virtual office address, which will not only meet the legal obligations of the registered office address, but also avoid putting your residential address into the public domain.

Registered email address

You’ll also need to provide a registered email address to Companies House. Unlike the registered office address, this won’t be published to the public register, which means you don’t have to worry about people or companies discovering your personal email address if you wish to use that.

However, remember that the communications Companies House sends to this email address will be important, so it should be an email address you or someone representing the company is checking regularly.

Director’s service address

Every company director must also provide a director’s service address, which is the correspondence address shown publicly for that director. Again, you can use your home address, but the same privacy concerns apply here too. However, unlike the company’s registered address, it doesn’t have to be in the UK.

The director’s service address can be the same as the registered office address, unless it’s a virtual office address. At Hoxton Mix, we offer a Full Privacy Service in addition to our registered office address service, that can provide an appropriate director’s service address for each company director.

Director’s residential address

Each company director must also provide their residential address. This is not shown on the public register, although Companies House may disclose it to a public authority in specified circumstances, to a credit reference agency in specified circumstances, or other miscellaneous circumstances where the law allows.

PSC service address

A Person with Significant Control (PSC) is a shareholder holding more than 25% of shares or voting rights, or who possesses the authority to appoint/remove the majority of directors, but they are not necessarily a company director themselves.

A PSC must also provide Companies House with a service address, and like a director’s service address this is made public. The PSC service address can be the same as the registered office address, or the director’s service address (if the PSC is also a director).

PSC residential address

Each PSC must provide Companies House with their usual residential address, which is not published on the public register.

Subscriber address

A company subscriber is a founding member who signs the memorandum of association during a company's registration, agreeing to form the business and become its first member, as well as the initial shareholders in a company limited by shares.

Like a company director or PSC, a company subscriber must provide an official contact or correspondence address  at the point of incorporation in order to receive official government mail, and this goes on the public record.

HMRC registration address

Following the incorporation of a new company, you will have three months to register with HMRC for corporation tax to avoid penalties.

During this process, you’ll have to provide HMRC with the address where your business primarily operates, which is also sometimes known as your trading address. Note that this is not necessarily your registered office address, unless this is where your main business activities are carried out.

Importantly, the address you use to register with HMRC will not be publicly available information.

Other business addresses you may come across

SAIL address

A SAIL address (Single Alternative Inspection Location) is an optional physical address where a limited company can store its statutory records and registers for public inspection, instead of the registered office address.

You might need a SAIL address if your registered office address isn’t suitable for storing those records.

Trading address

A company’s trading address is the physical location where a business conducts its day-to-day operations. For example, where your staff work from, goods are stored, or customers are served. It’s typically shared with your customers, suppliers and other stakeholders, rather than official government bodies. The trading address can be the same as your registered office address, but they’re often different.

Businesses usually make their trading address public so customers, banks and suppliers can get in touch with them, but it’s not a legal requirement to do so.

Can you use the same address for everything?

With the exception of the SAIL address, which by definition is an alternative address to your registered office address, you can use the same address for everything, as long as it's appropriate for each purpose. However, this would mean having to use your home address (because of the director’s and PSC’s residential address), which we certainly wouldn’t recommend.

If you use a virtual office address for your registered office, you might also need a separate location for your director’s service address and / or PSC service address.

Why use a virtual office address when registering a company?

If you don’t own or rent a dedicated office space, we strongly recommend using a virtual office address for registering a company.

Not only does it keep your home address off the public record and enhance your new business’s professional credibility, but it also allows you to take advantage of other virtual office services the provider might offer.

For example, at Hoxton Mix, our registered office address service doesn’t just provide you with a Companies House-compliant address, but it also includes AI-powered mail management and scanning as standard, complete with an online customer portal that allows you to access all of your business mail from anywhere in the world. If needed, we can forward your physical mail to an address of your choice too. We also offer a Full Privacy Service that provides a service address for each director or PSC.

What’s more, we also offer supporting virtual office services, including a WhatsApp for Business number so you can communicate with customers without sharing your personal mobile.

FAQ

Can you use your home address to register a company?

Yes, although there are two major downsides to using your home address as your registered office address. First of all, your privacy will be at risk because it will be published to Companies House’s public register. Secondly, it could negatively affect your professional credibility if your business is perceived to be operating from a residential address.

Can you use a virtual address for company registration?

Yes, a virtual office address (as long as it meets Companies House’s requirements) can be used as the registered office address. In fact, it’s recommended for startups and small businesses that don’t have a physical office to use as their registered office address.

Do I need a UK address to register a UK company?

Yes, a British company’s registered office address must be based in the UK, and what’s more, it must also be in the same UK jurisdiction as the company is based. For example, a company based in Scotland must have a registered address in Scotland.

Does my residential address show on Companies House?

Your residential address will only show on the Companies House public register if you use it for your registered office address or director’s service address. However, the director’s residential address you must provide at the point of incorporation is not publicly available information.