How to Change Registered Office Address: Companies House Process UK

Changing your company’s registered office address. Sounds simple, right?

Then you look at the Companies House website and suddenly you’re knee-deep in forms, deadlines, and legal jargon.

Not exactly the light admin task you imagined.

However, changing your registered office address in the UK is straightforward when you know the exact process.

Read on to learn how to change a registered office address and stay on track.

How to change registered office address: All you need to know

To change the registered office address of a company, you must follow a specific process by Companies House.

1. Board resolution or approval

In most companies, the directors hold the keys and can approve the change with a simple board resolution.

But if your company’s articles of association say the shareholders need to weigh in, you’ll need the green light from them first.

Follow your company’s own ‘house rules’ on who gets to make the final call.

2. New address requirements

Since 4 March 2024, Companies House has banned the use of PO Boxes as registered office addresses.

If your company is still using one, it’s high time you changed it for a proper physical address (or risk facing penalties).

That new address must be in the same part of the UK where your company was first set up (England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland).

It also has to be a place where official mail from Companies House and other authorities can reliably reach you.

If you’re thinking of moving your registered office to a different UK jurisdiction, you’ll need to re-incorporate your company there.

In any case, you must inform Companies House of the address change within 14 days of the change taking place.

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3. Filing the change

The fastest way is to use the Companies House online service, where you must register first.

You’ll need to give your email address and create a password, then Companies House will post an authentication code to your registered office address.

The information you need to include on the Form AD01 is:

• Company name and registration number.
• The new registered office address.
• Signature of the director or authorised person approving the change.
• Confirmation that the new address complies with legal requirements.

Alternatively, you can download and complete the paper form AD01 (Change of Registered Office Address) and post it to Companies House at:

Companies House

Crown Way

Cardiff

CF14 3UZ.

Another scenario where you’ll have to use a paper form is if your company:

• Is currently using the Companies House default address.
• Is going through liquidation.
• Is applying to be put back on the register.
• Isn’t officially registered as a standard company.

In the case of a default address, you may need to provide additional proof of your right to the new address, such as a utility bill or lease agreement.

Companies House normally processes registered office address changes within a few hours.

It’s usually within 3 working hours on some platforms, or up to 24 hours as a standard timeframe.

4. What comes after filing?

• Wait for the update: Companies House usually updates the register within 24 hours if filed online, or up to 10 days by post.
• Watch your inbox: You’ll get an email once the change is complete.
• Know it’s public: Your new registered office address will be visible on the Companies House register.
• HMRC is partly covered: Companies House will tell HMRC for corporation tax, but you must notify them separately for VAT, PAYE, and other taxes.

If handling and keeping track of all the taxes seems too complex to do it on your own ( and let’s be honest, it is), ANNA +Taxes has all your taxes covered: payroll, VAT filing and Corporation Tax.

Besides that, the service includes everything you need to register a new business and get a confirmation statement.

As a result, you can get started knowing you’ve ticked all HMRC’s boxes.

And if you have a tax question, you can ask Tax Terrapin, our ChatGPT-powered taxbot.

Besides answering your questions, it links to the relevant HMRC documentation. 😎

5. Prepare for the upcoming compliance changes

By late 2025, identity checks will be fully in place. This means directors and anyone with significant control will need to verify who they are whenever they file with Companies House.

• New directors will need to prove their identity when setting up a company or being added to an existing one.
• Existing directors will need to confirm their identity when they file their next annual confirmation statement. There’s a 12-month transition period for this.
• Existing PSCs (people with significant control) will also need to verify their identity within 12 months of the rollout date.

Rolling out identity verification will make doing business safer and smoother.

It gives more confidence about who’s running and controlling companies in the UK.

As a result, it should help prevent fraud and make the register more accurate and reliable, a win for companies of all sizes.

Why should you use a business address rather than a private address?

You can use your home address if it ticks the legal boxes, but a business address usually wins.

It keeps your privacy intact, looks more professional, helps you stay compliant, and makes sure important mail actually gets where it needs to go.

In case that you used your private address, you can still remove your home address, signature, date of birth, or occupation from the public register.

You should fill out the SR01 form by Companies House. This ‘pleasure’ will cost you £30 per document.

Also, you should know that if your company is active, you must change the company’s registered office address before you can apply.

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6 common pitfalls to avoid when changing your registered office in the UK

Avoid the following common mistakes to make sure your registered office change stays fully legal and keeps your business communications running smoothly without any hiccups.

• Using a PO Box as the registered office: PO Boxes are officially off-limits since 4 March 2024. Your registered office needs to be a real, physical location so official letters and legal documents actually reach you. Otherwise, Companies House might reject the change, or worse, put their own default address on your company. Not exactly the kind of surprise you want, right?
• Missing the 14-day notification deadline: You’ve got 14 days to let Companies House know about your move. Miss it, and you could face fines, but you may also miss tax notices or legal documents. Obviously, government letters don’t like being ghosted. 👻
• Not informing other relevant parties: Companies House only tells HMRC about corporation tax. For VAT, PAYE, and other tax schemes, it’s on you to give them a heads-up. And don’t forget banks, insurers, clients, and suppliers.
• Failing to get proper approval: Most of the time, changing your registered office needs a board resolution or director approval. Skip this step, and you could end up with an invalid change or some awkward internal disputes.
• Using an inappropriate address or jurisdiction: Your new registered office has to stay in the same part of the UK where your company was originally set up. Pick the wrong jurisdiction, and your change could be rejected.
• Not setting up mail forwarding from the old address: Even after your move, some mail might still go to your old office. Without forwarding in place, you could miss crucial notifications or legal papers while things are in transition.

Want to save yourself from admin headaches, papers and taxes? We have an easy solution for you.

How to change a registered office address easily with ANNA Money?

ANNA Money provides a simple-to-use, but packed with features platform that handles business banking and admin tasks by combining banking, invoicing, bookkeeping, and tax tools all in one platform.

How can we help? We provide:

✨ Easy and quick, 3-step company registration with Companies House fee included.

✨ A Virtual Office service with a prestigious London registered office address that you can use as your company's registered office to protect your privacy and simplify mail management.

✨ Real-time mail scanning, email notifications, and secure document storage accessible via your ANNA Money account, so you never miss important correspondence.

✨ Guidance through the process of updating your registered office address with Companies House and other authorities to ensure compliance with legal requirements.

✨ VAT return, Payroll, PAYE, and Corporation Tax handling so you’re safe regarding HMRC’s requirements.

✨ Identity verification as part of our plans, so you can register your business and get verified in one go.

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FAQ:

1. What is the EM01 form?

You use EM01 to update or change the registered email address for a company with Companies House in the UK.

It’s different from your registered office address, which is still your official physical address, but the email lets Companies House contact you faster and electronically.

2. Can I update my business address?

Yes, you can update your address by filling out the Form AD01 (Change of Registered Office Address) either online or by sending it to Companies House premises.

Changes filed online are usually processed within 24 hours, while it takes around 10 days if you send it by post.

3. Who should I inform about my change of address?

When you change your company’s registered office address, you should inform:

• Companies House within 14 days of the change.
• HMRC for other tax schemes such as VAT, and PAYE (payroll). Companies House will inform HMRC about the corporation tax.
• Bank, insurance providers, and any financial entities you deal with to update your records.
• Key business partners and customers of your new registered office address.

Also, update your statutory books, company stationery, websites, email footers, and any official communications to reflect the new registered office address.