Virtual Office

What is a registered address?

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The registered office is the official address of a limited company. It must be a physical location in the United Kingdom, and it is where HMRC, Companies House, and other bodies send correspondence to the company. Statutory registers should also be kept at the registered office and made available for public scrutiny at this location

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Suzanne Laurenne
Sep 1, 22 · 6 min read
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What is a registered office?

In business, a Registered Address, often known as a Registered Office, is the location where formal government correspondence and other corporate mailings may be sent and certified as having been received by the company. It is the statutory address of a registered business entity, such as a corporation or a limited liability company, in which they have registered their business.

In order to provide Companies House, HMRC, and other government entities with an official location where statutory letters and legal notices may be issued securely, registered offices are used.

If an alternate site is not established for this use, corporations are obligated to make their statutory registers available for public view in this location.

What is the essence of a registered office?

This engagement is a frequent solution for firms who do not have a physical location to rent but need to have a formalised corporate address to do business. To start a business, it is necessary to have a physical address in the formation where the company will operate. A new Registered Office/Address might serve as your company's official postal address if you apply for one. However, this is not free, the monthly/annual service cost protects the address, and during the year, you may have mail forwarded and scanned to a business contact. It is recommended to have a Company address different from your other addresses such as your home address.

Every business in the UK is required by law to have a registered office, which is a physical location that is entered into the official records of the Registrar of Businesses.

Where can you base your registered office?

Corporations are required to choose whether of England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland they desire to establish their registered office. Companies incorporated in Wales have the option of keeping their registered office location in Wales rather than England and Wales.

A company's registered office must be in the same nation or jurisdiction as the firm's headquarters in the United Kingdom (England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland). However, it is not necessary that it be located in the same country as the company's principal area of international commerce.

It's time to start thinking about your company of directors after deciding on a registered office. A minimum of one director is necessary for every company.

Why is a registered office necessary?

Under the Companies Act 2006, limited companies must have a "registered office" in the United Kingdom. This is because:

  • it is a legal requirement;
  • it serves as a contact point for official government communications and notices; it helps the United Kingdom be more transparent about its businesses; and
  • it serves as a location where official government communications can be forwarded, delivered, and received.

What are the requirements for a registered office?

The legal requirements for a company's UK address are laid forth in the Companies Act of 2006. The most current Act, which took effect in 2009, specifies the laws that must be obeyed by all UK enterprises.

The address needs to be effective in order to function properly. This simply means that the address must be accessible and that persons must be able to present official notices to the organization at that location. The majority of Post Office Boxes are insufficient for this purpose as they do not carry a full address complete with building number and street name.

A change of registered office address must be reported to Companies House.

This is performed through the usage of form AD01. This form may be submitted online or by mail.

Business entities registered in the UK must stay in the nation where they were initially registered. A Scottish firm will always be a Scottish company. You cannot change a company's address from Scotland to Wales or vice versa. Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are the most common places for business companies to be registered. This is related to the fact that each region has its own set of laws.

Unless Companies House has been given information of another address, the company registers must be preserved at the registered office for scrutiny. A SAIL address is what we're talking about here.

The registered office must reflect the company's name or information. In many cases, a bronze name plate can do the trick. This need may be met, however, simply by placing a sticker on the door or by making your own signage to display. The registration address must be included on all official government materials, including letterhead, websites, and email.

There are websites that allow people to buy registered offices in major cities like London, and these companies provide a number of packages to their clients, some of which include extra services like bank accounts.

What is a Virtual Office?

If you want more than just an address, Virtual Offices can help you get Registered Office/Address services. But their reach is much bigger than a regular office.

A Virtual Office is a service that lets businesses rent space and get other services when they don't want to rent a whole building, floor, or office suite.

Virtual Offices helps businesses adapt to changing business needs.

As your company's physical mailing address, virtual offices also offer phone answering, meeting rooms, videoconferencing, and coworking spaces. Employees can also work in the office/flex space on a limited basis, but dedicated office space can also be set up.

How to choose a registered address in the UK?

You will need to:
HowTo step image

1. Contact different virtual office companies

A virtual office company is the ideal choice to benefit from a prestigious head office address in the best city centre areas of London at moderate prices.

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Can I use my home address as a registered office?
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