Registered office vs trading address: can they be different?

Yes. Your registered office and your trading address can be two completely different places. The registered office is the company's official address on the Companies House register, where government bodies send statutory mail. The trading address is where the business actually operates day to day — an office, shop, unit or home. Companies House and HMRC do not require them to match.

What each address is for

  • Registered office: the company's legal address for Companies House, HMRC, courts and other official mail. It appears on the public register and on your website, invoices and letterheads.
  • Trading address: where you actually do business. It appears on Google Business Profile, marketing materials and delivery paperwork, and it does not have to be registered anywhere.
  • You can use the same address for both, or keep them separate — neither choice affects your company's validity.

Why companies keep them separate

  • Home-based businesses use a registered office service so their home address is not published on the public Companies House register, while still working from home as the trading address.
  • Companies that move premises do not need to update Companies House every time if their registered office is a stable service address.
  • Some businesses simply do not want customers or suppliers turning up at the official address.

The rules to remember

The registered office must be a real address in the same UK nation your company is registered in (England and Wales for companies registered at Companies House in Cardiff/London), where documents can be served — a PO box on its own is not enough.

Your trading address can be anywhere, including outside the UK. If you display a trading address that is not your registered office, you must still show the registered office on your website, invoices and business letters.

Frequently asked questions

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.

Can you receive general business or trading mail?

No. This is a registered office and official address service, not a general virtual office mailroom. We do not accept general trading mail, customer correspondence or supplier post.

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.

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.