How do I find a company’s registered office address?

A registered office address is a required part of every UK company’s setup. It’s the company’s official legal address, used for statutory correspondence and formal notices, and it appears on the public register at Companies House.

Because of that role, the registered office address carries more weight than many first-time directors expect. It determines where legal documents are served and how the company is represented on the public record.

This guide explains what a registered office address is, how to find one on Companies House, what rules apply, and why many directors decide against using their home address once they understand how visible it becomes.

What is a registered office address, and why is it required?

Every limited company and LLP must have a registered office address. This is the address Companies House uses for official correspondence, and it’s the address that appears on the public register alongside the company’s name and number.

• How do I perform a company check?
• Registered office, service address, and business address – what’s the difference?
• Can a virtual office be used as a registered office?

The reason it exists is straightforward. Companies need a fixed, reliable point of contact for legal and regulatory purposes. If a notice is sent to the registered office, the company is treated as having received it – even if no one reads it.

That’s why the registered office is not simply a mailing preference. It’s a legal anchor point, and it carries obligations as well as visibility.

How to find a company’s registered office address on Companies House

Companies House makes it easy to look up a registered office address, and you don’t need an account to do it.

Step by step: Finding the registered office address

1. Go to the ‘Find and update company information’ service on the Companies House website.
2. Search using the company’s name (or the company number if you have it).
3. Select the correct company from the results list.
4. The registered office address appears in the main company details on the overview page.

If you’re checking a company with a common name, it’s worth confirming you have the right one. Company numbers are unique, while names are not, and some companies change names over time.

Viewing previous registered office addresses

You can also review a company’s filing history from the same page. This shows when the registered office address has been changed in the past, which can be useful if you’re trying to understand a company’s background or check whether it has moved frequently.

What information is publicly available about your company?

The registered office address sits alongside a wider set of information that Companies House makes publicly accessible.

This typically includes:

• The company number and incorporation date
• The company’s status (active, dissolved, in liquidation)
• The nature of the business (SIC codes)
• Confirmation statement dates
• Accounts filing history
• Details of directors and other officers, including their service addresses
• The company’s filing history

Many first-time directors only realise how much information is visible once they search their own company on the register, which is why address choices tend to feel more significant in hindsight than they do at incorporation.

What are the legal requirements for a registered office address?

A registered office address must meet a small number of clear legal requirements. They’re simple in principle, but matter in practice.

Correct UK jurisdiction

The address must be in the same part of the UK as the company’s registration:

• Companies registered in England and Wales must use an address in England or Wales
• Scottish companies must use an address in Scotland
• Northern Irish companies must use an address in Northern Ireland

You cannot move a registered office between jurisdictions without forming a new company.

An appropriate address

The address must be an ‘appropriate address’. In practical terms, that means official post sent there should be expected to come to the attention of someone acting for the company, and delivery should be capable of being acknowledged or recorded.

For that reason, PO Boxes can no longer be used as registered office addresses, and locations where post cannot be reliably received or dealt with are likely to cause problems. For the same reason, you should only use an address where you have clear permission to receive statutory mail on the company’s behalf.

Where must your registered office be displayed?

The registered office address doesn’t just sit on the Companies House register. It also appears in places where customers, suppliers, and counterparties will see it.

In practice, limited companies often include their registered office address on:

• Business letters, emails, and order forms
• Invoices and formal correspondence
• Company websites (usually in the footer or legal information section)

This is often the point at which founders realise the registered office isn’t a background admin detail. It becomes part of how the business presents itself publicly.

Can I use my home address as my registered office?

Yes, you can. Using a home address as a registered office is legal, and many companies do so when they first incorporate.

The issue is not whether it’s allowed, but what follows from it. When a home address is used as the registered office, it appears on the public register. Once listed, it may appear in search results, be scraped by data brokers, or be used for unsolicited mail. Founders who are comfortable with the idea in theory often find the reality less appealing.

Removing a home address from the public record

Companies House allows home addresses to be removed from certain documents in specific circumstances. The process depends on where the address appears and involves formal applications and fees.

In practice, many directors find it simpler to stop using a home address going forward by changing the registered office to a suitable alternative (such as a Quality Company Formations registered office address), and then reviewing whether any historic documents qualify for removal.

Registered office vs trading address: What’s the difference?

The registered office address is not the same as a trading address, and the distinction matters.

Registered office address

This is the company’s legal address. It appears on the public register and is used for statutory correspondence and formal notices.

Trading address

This is where the business actually operates from. It could be an office, shop, warehouse, studio, or home, and a company can have more than one trading address. Trading addresses can change without updating Companies House, provided the registered office remains correct.

Directors’ service address

Directors also have a service address, which is the public correspondence address for that individual in their role as an officer. Many directors use a business address service for this as well, so their home address doesn’t become a point of contact.

How to change your company’s registered office address

If you decide to change your registered office address, it’s important to do it properly and without delay.

How to update your registered office address

1. Choose a new address that meets the legal requirements and is in the correct jurisdiction.
2. Make sure you have permission to use it, and that statutory post will be handled reliably.
3. Notify Companies House of the change (most companies do this online, but you can also send Form AD01 by post).
4. Update your website, invoices, stationery, and email footers with the new address.
5. Inform your bank, insurers, and professional advisers.

What happens if my registered office address is wrong?

An incorrect or unsuitable registered office address creates two kinds of risk.

Firstly, if statutory post is sent to an address you don’t monitor, deadlines can be missed and issues can escalate before you’re aware of them. Over time, this can affect compliance, credit checks, and even relationships with customers or suppliers.

Secondly, Companies House expects companies to maintain an appropriate registered office address. If it believes an address is unsuitable, it can require the company to provide a replacement – and continued failure to do so can contribute to strike-off action.

Using your home address vs a commercial registered office

When deciding whether to use a home address or a commercial registered office, the trade-off is usually between cost, privacy, and stability.

Some founders are comfortable using a home address early on. Others decide that privacy and consistency are worth securing from the outset.

Protect your privacy with a registered office service

Using a professional registered office service keeps your home address off the public record, safeguards your company’s statutory mail, and helps you stay compliant.

If you’re forming a company or planning to change your registered office, we can provide a London registered office address and handle the setup for you. It’s a simple step that removes friction now and avoids complications later as the business grows.