Registered office

The registered office is a Company’s official address and all formal documents must be served there. If a company changes its registered office address the new address must be notified to Companies House. Below are a few key points to keep in mind:

1. Every company must have a registered office (Companies Act 1985 section 287 (1)).

2. The official registered office of a company must always have a notice outside the office stating the name of the company. Also, details of the registered office must be shown on all invoices, order forms, letterheads, websites and monetary documentation (Companies Act 2006).

3. The statutory books must be kept at the registered office including the Register of Members, the Register of Substantial Interests, the Register of Debenture holders and the Register of Charges. In some instances the registers can be kept at other addresses after formal notice has been given to Companies House.

4. For small businesses (or for young entrepreneurs working from home) it is important that prospective customers have the confidence to trade with them and have a high profile. To achieve this, many businesses secure a prestigious registered office address, often in central London.