What Is a Registered Office Address?

When you register a limited company in the UK, every company director must provide two addresses:

• A residential address (kept on a private record)
• A service address (published on the public Companies House register)

The service address is the official contact address for the director. It’s where official correspondence from Companies House, HMRC, and other statutory bodies will be sent.

It can be different from the director’s home address, and for privacy and professionalism, many directors choose to use a separate business or registered office address instead.

Key Requirements for a Director’s Service Address

Under UK company law, every director must supply a service address that meets specific criteria set by Companies House. This address becomes part of the public record and plays a key role in how official bodies communicate with your company.

Here’s what you need to know:

The Service Address Can Be Anywhere in the World

Unlike your company’s registered office, which must be located within the UK jurisdiction in which your company is incorporated (England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland), a director’s service address can be international.

This means:

• You can be based overseas and still serve as a director of a UK company.
• The service address does not have to match your company’s registered office address.
• If you’re a digital nomad or managing your business from abroad, you can still comply with UK requirements.

Learn about company director requirements on GOV.UK

It Must Be a Full, Physical Postal Address

• PO Boxes are not accepted unless they’re accompanied by a full, valid postcode and clearly linked to a real, deliverable street address (e.g. PO Box 123, 10 High Street, London, W1A 1AA).
• It must be suitable for receiving mail from HMRC, Companies House, and the courts.

Tip: If you don’t want to use your home address, consider a director service address provider, like those offered by Formations Wise, which typically include mail forwarding services.

You Must Maintain Access to the Address

Companies House expects directors to regularly check and respond to mail sent to their service address. Failure to do so may result in:

• Missed filing deadlines
• Penalties
• Legal complications, including the risk of strike-off

Make sure:

• The address is monitored regularly
• You have a mail forwarding or scanning system in place

It Will Be on the Public Record

Perhaps the most important point—this address is published online on the Companies House register, which is freely accessible to anyone. That includes:

• Clients and suppliers
• Journalists or researchers
• Potential fraudsters or spammers

Privacy tip: Using a non-residential service address is one of the easiest ways to protect your personal information from the public domain.