Since October 2023, Companies House rules require every UK limited company to have a registered office at an "appropriate address." A virtual address can qualify — but only if it's set up correctly. Here's exactly what the rules mean, what qualifies, and what to watch out for.
What Is a Registered Office?
Your registered office is the official legal address of your UK limited company. It's the address that appears on the public Companies House register, where government bodies like HMRC and the courts will send statutory mail, and where legal notices can be served.
Every UK limited company must have one. It cannot be a PO box (on its own), and it must be in the same country as your company's registration — so an England & Wales company needs an England or Wales address.
Key point: Your registered office doesn't need to be where you actually work. Most directors use a service address or virtual address for this purpose, especially to keep their home address private.
What Does "Appropriate Address" Mean?
This is the change that came into force in October 2023 under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. Previously the rules were vague; now Companies House is explicit.
An appropriate address means one where:
- A document delivered to it would be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company
- The delivery of documents can be recorded by obtaining an acknowledgement of delivery
In plain English: someone at that address must actually receive your post and get it to you. A dead letterbox or unmanned address does not qualify.
⚠️ Important: If Companies House determines your registered office does not meet the "appropriate address" standard, they can change it to a default address — which will appear on the public register and may affect your company's standing.
Does a Virtual Address Qualify?
Yes — provided the virtual address provider actually receives your mail and forwards or scans it to you. That's the key requirement. A professional service like Forwardmymail satisfies this because:
- We physically receive mail at our Lichfield address
- Official government mail (HMRC, Companies House, courts) is scanned and sent to you digitally
- Delivery is recorded and can be confirmed
- We are a named, staffed UK business centre — not a PO box
| Address Type | Qualifies as Registered Office? |
|---|---|
| Professional virtual address (like Forwardmymail) | ✓ Yes |
| Your home address | ✓ Yes (but becomes public) |
| Your accountant or solicitor's address | ✓ Yes (with their permission) |
| Unmanned PO box (standalone) | ✗ No |
| Foreign address | ✗ No (must match country of registration) |
| Address where mail is never collected | ✗ No |
Registered Office vs Service Address — What's the Difference?
These are two separate things, though both can use the same virtual address:
- Registered office — the company's official address. Receives statutory mail addressed to the company.
- Director's service address — each director can have a separate service address, which appears on the public register instead of their home address. Receives correspondence addressed to that director personally.
Our Registered Office plan covers both — the company registered office address and service address for one director.
What Mail Will Come to My Registered Office?
You can expect to receive:
- Companies House — confirmation statement reminders, filing reminders, correspondence
- HMRC — corporation tax notices, VAT correspondence, PAYE communications
- Courts and legal notices
- Any mail addressed to the company at its registered address
With Forwardmymail, all official government mail is scanned and delivered free as part of the Registered Office plan.
How to Set Up a Virtual Registered Office
The process is straightforward:
- Choose a registered office plan — our Registered Office plan at £250/year includes the address, official mail handling, and director service address.
- Complete ID verification — required under UK AML regulations. This takes a few minutes online.
- Update Companies House — log in to Companies House WebFiling and update your registered office address. This takes effect immediately.
- Notify HMRC — update your registered address with HMRC separately via your business tax account.
Ready to Get Your Registered Office Address?
From £250/year. Includes official mail handling, director service address, and same-day setup.