Company address guide

We have created a simple guide to assist our new customers in understanding
the difference between the various addresses used in company formation.

We also explain our company address services, that are available to our customers
to maintain the privacy of their home address and enhance their corporate image.

Please call our friendly 24/7 Customer Service Team if you need advice.

020 7871 9990

The company addresses

Registered
Office

Service
Address

Business
Address

What is the purpose of
this address?
It is a company's official address for receiving government mail
It is a company officer's1 official address for receiving government mail
It is the address where all general business mail will be received
Do I need this address to set up a limited company or LLP?
Yes
Yes
No
Is this address displayed on public record at Companies House?
Yes
Yes
No
What type of mail is
sent to this address?
Official mail addressed to the company (Companies House, HMRC, Gov. Gateway, etc.)
Official mail addressed to a company officer (Companies House, HMRC, Gov. Gateway, etc.)
General business mail (from banks. suppliers, customers, etc.)
Do I have to display this address on my website and stationery?
Yes
Yes
It is not a legal requirement, however, in practice YES2
Does this address need to be in the same jurisdiction3 in which the company is registered?
Yes
No
No
  1. Company Officer: This can be a director, company secretary or a shareholder who is also a person with significant control (PSC).
  2. Business Address Service: There is no legal requirement to display a business address on a company's website or stationery; however, it is an essential business practice to let people know your business location.
  3. Jurisdiction: for the purpose of company registration, the UK is split into 3 jurisdictions (England & Wales, Scotland, N. Ireland). Your registered office must be located in the same jurisdiction in which the company is registered.

Our company address services

Registered Office
Service

Service Address
Service

Business Address
Service

Why would I want to purchase this
address service?
  1. It is a legal requirement
  2. To keep your home address private
  3. To enhance your corporate image
  1. It is a legal requirement
  2. To keep your home address private
  1. To enhance your business image
  2. To keep your home address private
How is mail forwarded to me?
Scan and email
Scan and email
Post or
scan and email
Does the forwarding of mail incur an additional charge?
No
No
Yes4
How many services do I need to purchase?
One per company
One per officer
(per company)
One per company
Where can I buy this
address service?
  1. As an additional item to a company formation package
  2. As a stand alone service from our Registered Office page
  1. As an additional item to a company formation package
  2. As a stand alone service from our Service Address page
  1. As an additional item to a company formation package
  2. As a stand alone service from our Business Address page
How much does this
address service cost?
  1. As an additional item to a formation package - £15.99 per year
  2. As a stand alone service - £39.00 per year
  1. As an additional item to a formation package - £10.99 per year
  2. As a stand alone service - £26.00 per year
  1. As an additional item to a formation package - £39.99 per year
  2. As a stand alone service - £89.00 per year
How much does it cost
to renew this service annually?
£39.00 per year
£26.00 per year
£89.00 per year
  1. Business Address Service: The forwarding of mail by scan and email is charged at £0.50 per letter. Mail forwarded by post is charged at the Royal Mail postal charge plus 15% handling fee.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Registered Office?

A registered office is the statutory address of a limited company or LLP. You must provide registered office details for Companies House when you incorporate a company or LLP in the UK.

Government agencies (such as Companies House and HMRC), will then post all of your official company mail to this address. It will also be disclosed on the public register of companies.

A registered office must be a full physical address (not a PO Box Number) that is situated in the UK jurisdiction where a company or LLP is registered, which will be England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

What is official government mail?

Official government mail is classified as mail from the following agencies: Companies House, HMRC, Government Gateway, Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), Office for National Statistics, Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), and Court documents.

Can I use the Registered Office service as my service address?

No. Company directors, shareholders (who are also persons with significant control), and company secretaries must each provide Companies House with a service address which will be displayed on the public register.

If you would like to use our London address for this purpose you must purchase a separate Service Address for each individual officer.

Can I use the Registered Office service to receive other business-related mail?

No. Our Registered Office service can only be used for the receipt and forwarding of statutory mail. However, our London address is available to use for general business correspondence via our Business Address service.

Purchasing this service will allow you to have all general business mail delivered to our address and then forwarded to an address of your choice.

Why does the forwarding of business mail incur an additional charge?

Unlike the registered office and service addresses (where the amount of mail received on an annual basis is a known quantity), we have no idea just how much business mail we will receive for each client.

For example, we could be processing and forwarding several items of mail on a daily basis and so we have to charge for the postage, as the cost of the postage would far outstrip the annual service fee.

Is it more expensive to renew address services?

No, the initial cost of our address services is the same as the renewal cost, as you can see above.

However, we do heavily discount our services (including addresses, VAT registration, etc.) if they are purchased with our company formation packages.