Every private company in the UK must register with Companies House in order to legally obtain ‘limited’ status. One of the requirements of being an incorporated company is having a registered office at the time of formation. This will be the official address of your company and the details will be placed on public record.
The rules
The registered office must be a UK postal address – not a PO Box – and it must be in the same country that your company is registered in. Companies House has three jurisdictions – England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – so the registrar with whom you incorporate your company will determine the country of your registered office. For example, if you register with Companies House in England and Wales, your registered office must be an address in either England or Wales.
Public record and professional image
As the official company address, all statutory mail from Companies House and HMRC will be posted to this address, as well as any legal notices. You may use your home address as your registered office but do remember that it will be placed on public record which everyone has access to. For this reason, many people prefer to keep their residential address private, instead choosing an alternate address as the registered office.
You do not need to work at the registered office nor do you require visiting it. The address is simply a physical location for mail to be delivered by post or served by hand. As your registered office address requires to be displayed at the foot of your letterheads, website and invoices, a non-residential registered office gives your company a professional presence, particularly if you work from home.
A registered office from Blue Square
Blue Square Offices can provide your company with a prominent registered office address in Glasgow city centre, ideal for companies incorporated in Scotland. All official government mail from Companies House and HMRC will be forwarded to an address of your choice on the day it is received, or you may collect your mail in person if you would prefer. Our Scottish registered office service is available for an annual cost of just £39.99 plus VAT.
