Do I need a registered office before I form a limited company?
Yes. A registered office address is one of the details every UK limited company must give on its application for incorporation — the company cannot be registered without one. It must be an appropriate address in the same UK nation the company will be registered in, and it goes on the public register from day one. You do not need to own or lease the property, but you must be allowed to receive the company's official post there.
Your three options at formation
- Your home address: free, but it is published on the public Companies House register and stays on the historical record even if you change it later.
- Your accountant's or another business's address: possible with their consent, but it changes if that relationship ends, and post handling is not guaranteed.
- A registered office service: a dedicated address where official post is received and handled for you — ours is 105 High Street, Brentwood, CM14 4RR, £10/month or £100/year with a director service address included.
Why it matters at the point of incorporation
The address you give on the incorporation application is public from the moment the company is registered. You can change it later by filing a change of registered office, but previous addresses stay visible in the company's filing history. Choosing a service address at the start keeps a home address off that record entirely.
Forming a company with the address included
If you are setting up a company and want the address in place from day one, our Full Package (£225 all-in, including the £100 Companies House fee) includes 12 months of registered office and director service address alongside the formation itself.
Frequently asked questions
Does company formation include the registered office?
Our Full Package (£225 all-in, including the £100 Companies House fee) includes 12 months of registered office and director service address. Basic Formation (£125 including the Companies House fee) does not include an address.
What information or documents are needed to start?
Your name, date of birth, home address and contact details, your company details (or the details of the company you are forming), and photo ID for the online ID check that every director completes.
What mail is included?
Ordinary official post sent to the registered office for your company — for example from Companies House, HMRC, the courts and other government bodies. It is scanned and sent to you digitally.
Is £100 the final annual price?
Yes. The annual plan is £100 in total for 12 months of registered office and director service address. No VAT is added, and there is no setup fee.