As part of the reforms coming to Companies House after the introduction of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, changes are slowly being introduced into how Companies House operates. Keep reading to find out more about one of the first of several changes to be introduced, and how this will affect you and your business.
Currently the registered office address must be a physical address in the UK, and situated in the same jurisdiction that the company is registered in. PO Box addresses can be used, as long as a physical address and postcode are also provided.
The registered office address will be publicly available on the online register at Companies House. This cannot be removed or hidden. You can use any address that complies with the above requirements, even your residential address, although you may prefer to maintain your privacy by using a third party address provider service, such as 1st Choice Incorporations.
What’s new?
From 4th March 2024, you will no longer be allowed to use a PO Box as your registered office address, and you must have what is considered to be an ‘appropriate address’ at all times. Companies House defines an appropriate address as somewhere that:
- Documents addressed to the company and delivered to the address are expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company, for example a director or shareholder.
- Documents sent to this address are able to be recorded as delivered by an acknowledgement of delivery.
Third party agents address services, such as our registered office address services, can still be used, as we meet the conditions of forwarding all company mail to the contacts we hold in relation to the company.
What if an address is considered inappropriate?
Company addresses that are deemed to be inappropriate could lead to the company using them being struck off the Companies House register. If your registered office address is deemed unsuitable, it will be changed to a default Companies House address, and if within 28 days a suitable alternative is not provided, the process to strike your company from the register will begin.
If you are using an inappropriate address, such as a PO Box, this will need to be updated by 4th March 2024.
Also Read: Confirmation Statement Updates
What if I need to change my address?
If you believe that your address does not comply with the new requirements, we can assist you with having this updated. Contact our friendly team to discuss your company.
For more information regarding the changes coming to Companies House, read our other blogs here.
Also Read: Starting a Company: Ongoing Requirements – Part 1
