Check the rules for registered office addresses and email addresses

You must provide a registered office address and email address when you set up a limited company.

Registered office address

The address you register must be:

  • a physical address in the UK
  • in the same country your company is registered in, for example a company registered in Scotland must have a registered office address in Scotland

The address must also be ‘appropriate’. This means that:

  • you or someone acting on behalf of your company will be made aware of any post addressed and delivered to your company
  • when your company receives post at this address, it’s possible for the sender to get confirmation of delivery

You can no longer use a PO Box as your registered office address.

If you use a service provider’s address (for example, an accountant or solicitor) as your registered office address, this address must meet all of these requirements.

Your company could be struck off the Companies House register if you do not provide a registered office address that meets all of these requirements.

Keeping your address private

Your company’s registered office address will be publicly available on the online register. 

If you do not want an address to be publicly available (for example, if it’s someone’s home), you should not use it as your company’s registered office address. You can either:

  • use a different address, such as the address of an accountant or solicitor - you must get their permission first
  • appoint an agent who will give you an address to use

You must have the address in place before you register your company.

Registered email address

You must provide an email address and read any emails that your company receives.

The email address you provide will not be published on the public register.

Companies House may use this email address to contact you about your company.

Part of Set up a limited company: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check if setting up a limited company is right for you

    1. Check what a private limited company is

    How you set up your business depends on what sort of work you do. It can also affect the way you pay tax and get funding.

    Most businesses register as a limited company or a sole trader.

    1. Find out about the different ways to set up a business
    1. Get help deciding how to set up your business

  2. Step 2 Choose your limited company type

    1. Check whether you'll be limited by shares or guarantee

  3. Step 3 Choose directors and a company secretary

    You must appoint a director but you do not have to appoint a company secretary.

    1. Find out what directors are responsible for
    2. Check who can be a director or company secretary

  4. Step 4 Decide who the shareholders are

    You need at least one shareholder, who can be a director.

    1. Check how to choose shareholders for a company limited by shares
    2. Find out how dividends from shares are taxed

  5. or Decide who your guarantors are

    You need at least one guarantor who can be a director.

    1. Check how to choose guarantors for a company limited by guarantee

  6. and Identify people with significant control (PSC) over your company

    You need to identify people with significant control (PSC) - for example, anyone with more than 25% of the shares or voting rights.

    1. Find out what counts as a PSC

    You'll confirm these when you register your company with Companies House.

  7. Step 5 Choose a name

    1. Check the rules for company names
    2. Check if the name you want is available
    3. Check existing trade marks

  8. Step 6 Prepare documents agreeing how to run your company

    You need to prepare documents agreeing how to run your company. These documents include the :

    • 'memorandum of association'
    • 'articles of association'
    • 'statement of capital'
    • 'statement of guarantee'
    1. Find out how to create these documents

  9. Step 7 Check what records you'll need to keep

    1. Check the company and accounting records you must keep

  10. Step 8 Register your company with Companies House

    You'll need to register an official address and choose a SIC code - this identifies what your company does.

    1. You are currently viewing: Check the rules for registered office addresses and email addresses
    2. Check what your SIC code is
    3. Register your company with Companies House

  11. Step 9 Find out what to do after you've registered

    There are some things you may need to do once you've registered a limited company.

    1. Add Corporation Tax services to your business tax account
    2. Check the next steps for your limited company