The registered office of a company is the address for all formal communications. It is a legal requirement to have a registered office address, and the company secretary usually assumes responsibility for the establishment of the address and maintaining it. The address used for the registered office address has to be a real address but doesn’t have to be the address of the company. A number of companies use their accountant’s address, especially if the accountant acts as company secretary. A PO Box number is not acceptable.

As the registered office is the address which will be used by Companies House and customers, you must be able to access mail and deal with it promptly. For instance, you may be sent a legal demand for a payment which could put your company at risk of insolvency if you don’t respond quickly. Companies House will also write to you at this address. The company’s register of members and directors must be kept at the registered office address, unless you have provided Companies House with an alternative. If someone you deal with in the course of business demands the registered office address in writing, you must comply within five working days.

If the registered office address is changed, Companies House will have to be informed. The new address is effective as soon as Companies House enter the new address on their database. Form AD01 should be completed for a company changing its address, and form LL AD01 for a Limited Liability Partnership.

Want to learn more?

Subscribe to our newsletter to get accounting tips like this right to your inbox

About The Author

Kara Copple

An experienced business and finance writer, sometimes moonlighting as a fiction writer and blogger.

More posts by this author