How to Change Your Registered Office Address with Companies House

Your registered office address is the official address of your company. It's where Companies House sends letters, where HMRC sends tax notices, and where anyone can serve legal documents. It's also publicly visible on the Companies House register — anyone can look it up.

If you need to change it, the process is straightforward. Here's exactly how to do it.

Why would you change your registered office address?

Common reasons include:

• You're working from home and don't want your home address on public record
• You've moved offices and need your company records to reflect the new location
• You want a more professional address — a London address instead of a residential one
• Your accountant's address was being used and you've switched firms
• Privacy concerns — your home address is visible to anyone who searches your company

What are the rules?

Your registered office address must:

• Be in the same country where your company is registered (England & Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland)
• Be a physical address — not a PO Box
• Be able to receive post — Companies House and HMRC will send mail there
• Accept service of documents — legal papers can be delivered to this address

You cannot use a PO Box. You can use a virtual office address, a serviced office, your accountant's office, or your home address.

How to change your registered office address online

The fastest way is through Companies House WebFiling:

1. Sign in to the Companies House WebFiling service with your company authentication code
2. Select your company from your account
3. Click "Change a registered office address" — this files form AD01
4. Enter the new address including the postcode
5. Submit — there's no fee to change your registered office address

The change typically takes 24-48 hours to appear on the public register. Companies House will send a confirmation letter to both the old and new address.

What about HMRC?

Changing your registered office with Companies House does not automatically update your address with HMRC. You need to update HMRC separately for:

• Corporation Tax — update via your HMRC online account
• VAT — if VAT registered, update your VAT registration
• PAYE — if you have employees, update your employer details

Don't assume one change covers everything. Update each service individually.

What about your director's service address?

Your registered office and your director's service address are two different things. When you change your registered office, your director's correspondence address stays the same unless you also file a CH01 to update it.

Many directors use the same address for both. If that's you, remember to update both when you move.

Can I use my home address?

Yes, but think carefully. Your registered office address is publicly visible on the Companies House register. That means:

• Anyone can search your company number and see your home address
• Marketing companies, cold callers, and scammers regularly scrape this data
• If your company is involved in a dispute, legal documents will be delivered to your home

For sole directors working from home, a virtual office address is a common solution. You get a professional address for £150-250/year and keep your home address private.

How long does it take?

• Online filing (AD01): Usually processed within 24-48 hours
• Paper filing: Can take 5-10 working days
• HMRC update: Separately, 2-4 weeks to process

What happens to mail sent to the old address?

Companies House sends a confirmation to both addresses. But they won't redirect your mail. If you receive government or legal correspondence at your registered office, make sure you set up mail forwarding or notify all relevant parties directly.

Using a virtual office as your registered office

A virtual office gives you a professional business address without renting an office. The provider receives your mail, scans it, and sends you digital copies. This is perfectly legal and widely used by UK limited companies.

When choosing a virtual office provider, check:

• Do they accept Companies House mail? Some basic mailbox services don't
• Do they scan and forward mail digitally? You need to see your mail promptly
• Is it a recognised business address? Banks and HMRC may check
• What's included? Some charge extra for scanning, forwarding, or HMRC registration

Key takeaways

• Change your registered office by filing form AD01 via Companies House WebFiling — it's free
• The change takes 24-48 hours to appear on the register
• Update HMRC separately — the change doesn't carry across automatically
• Your registered office must be a physical address in the same part of the UK as your registration
• Consider a virtual office if you want to keep your home address private