Service addresses for company directors

A service address is the official contact address of a company director, secretary, subscriber, Person with Significant Control (PSC), or LLP member. All of these individuals are legally required to provide service addresses for the public record when they join a company during or after the incorporation process.

• A Central London service address - £26.00 per year
• What is a registered office address?
• The SAIL address explained

Companies House, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), and other UK government agencies send personal statutory mail to these individuals at their nominated service addresses. You can use any physical postal address anywhere in the world, whether it’s a residential or non-residential address, including the registered office of your company.

There is no requirement to visit or work at your service addresses. It is simply required for official contact purposes and for placement on the public Companies Register at Companies House.

A professional service address is a popular choice for many company directors. This type of address service is usually provided by company formation agents and secretarial firms. If you don’t have commercial business premises, a professional service address is the most effective way to protect your privacy.

What is the difference between a service address and a registered office address?

A service address is required by all company directors, LLP members, company secretaries, subscribers (first shareholders or guarantors who become members of a company during its incorporation), and any individual or firm registered as a Person with Significant Control (PSC). It serves as their official correspondence address. Their personal statutory mail from government agencies, such as HMRC and Companies House, is delivered there. It can be located anywhere in the world.

A registered office address, on the other hand, is the official address of a limited company or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP). All statutory company mail and legal notices are delivered to the registered office. The statutory registers and records of the company should also be stored there unless a SAIL address is used. A registered office must be located in the same part of the UK where the company or LLP is incorporated.

Can I use my home address as my service address?

Yes. There are no legal restrictions prohibiting the use of private residences as service addresses. However, these details are added to the public register, so many people choose a non-residential address in order to maintain their privacy.

A popular alternative is to purchase a professional Service Address from a company formation agent like 1st Formations. The address is disclosed on public record as your official service address. Your official government mail is then delivered there in the first instance, before being scanned and forwarded to you by email.

Can I use my company’s registered office as a service address?

Yes, you can use the registered office address of your company as a service address. This is commonplace because it means that all mail is delivered to the same place.

What mail is delivered to a service address?

Only official government mail and legal notices for the attention of the address holder are delivered to the service address. However, you may use the same address as a service address, registered office, and general contact address or business address.

Can I use a PO Box as a service address?

You can use a PO Box as long as you can provide Companies House with the full postal address (including building number, street address, and postcode) of the building in which the PO box is situated. Simply using a PO Box number is not permitted

Can service addresses be anywhere in the world?

Unlike a registered office, there are no restrictions to the geographical location of service addresses. This means that your service address can be anywhere in the UK or abroad.

Do company secretaries require a service address?

Yes, company secretaries are legally required to have service addresses.

Do shareholders and guarantors require service addresses?

Yes, shareholders and guarantors who are subscribers to the company must provide an address for the public record. Shareholders and guarantors who become members after company formation do not have to provide service addresses unless they are also PSCs.

Do LLP members require service addresses?

Yes, LLP members must provide service address details for Companies House when they join an LLP, whether that’s during or after incorporation.

Will my service address be displayed on the public record?

Companies House places all service addresses on public record. This is to maintain openness and corporate transparency in the UK. Therefore, if you change your service address at any time, you must tell Companies House as soon as possible. The public record will be updated with the new address.

The only exception is subscribers who are not PSCs. If their service address details change after incorporation, they do not have to update this information at Companies House. However, it they are PSCs, they must report the change of address.

Can I change my service address?

You can change the service address of directors, PSCs, and LLP members at any time, but you must inform Companies House immediately using one of the following Companies House forms:

• Form CH01 – for company directors
• Form PSC04 – for PSCs
• Form LL CH01 – for LLP members

These forms can be filed online via WebFiling or 1st Formations’ free Online Company Manager. The new details will be registered at Companies House and displayed on public record within approximately 24 hours of submission.

1st Formations Service Address

1st Formations provides a prestigious London Service Address in Covent Garden for just £26.00 (plus VAT) per year. It is suitable for company directors and other individuals associated with UK-registered limited companies and LLPs.

Our London Service Address is displayed on public record alongside the registered holder’s details. All official government mail delivered to the individual at this address will be scanned and emailed to the recipient within one working day.