Reference guideLast updated 1 January 1970

Registered office vs trading address — what they tell you

TL;DR

The registered office is a legal notification address, held at Companies House. The trading address is where the business actually operates. They can be the same, or different, or the registered office can be a formation agent. Service addresses are legitimate — but not a substitute for a real trading address in serious diligence.

Two addresses, two purposes

Registered office

Held on Companies House.
Legal notification point.
Can be a service address.
One only, per company.

Trading address

Not held on Companies House.
Where the business runs.
Multiple allowed.
Confirmable via VOA, Maps, LinkedIn.

Why the difference matters

The registered office is where a court bailiff, HMRC notice or Companies House letter is served. The trading address is where the business runs. When they're the same, you can rely on one location. When they differ — or when only one is disclosed — you need to know both before you commit.

When a service address is normal

Small businesses run from home who don't want their home address public.
Multiple-property holding companies where no single trading address represents the entity.
Newly-incorporated ventures still finding permanent premises.
Overseas-owned UK subsidiaries — the accountant's office is the pragmatic choice.

When a service address is a signal

Trading business claims established scale but only shows a service address.
Company refuses to provide a trading address when asked.
Hundreds of other companies share the same registered office (formation-agent concentration).
The service address is at a virtual-office reseller with no physical presence.

Reverse-searching an address

On Companies House, click a registered office postcode and you can see other companies using it. If the number is in the hundreds, it's a service address. Some formation agents host 5,000+ companies at one address — not sinister on its own, but worth knowing.

Cross-checking a trading address

Google Maps / Street View — is there a real premises there?
VOA business rates — is a rateable value listed for the premises?
LinkedIn — do staff list this address as their office?
Companies House officer records — do the directors use this address for their appointment history?

Sellers: get your address hygiene right

Buyers scrutinise this. If your registered office is your accountant's and your trading address is your workshop, disclose both up front. Businesses that appear only via a formation agent look less credible than they are. Our seller journey covers presentation.

Frequently asked questions

What is a registered office?

The legal address of a UK company as shown on Companies House. All statutory mail — Companies House, HMRC, court process — is served here. Every UK limited company must have one.

What is a trading address?

The physical location where a company actually operates — offices, warehouse, shop, workshop. It may be the same as the registered office or completely different.

Is it legal to use a service address as registered office?

Yes. Many legitimate businesses use formation-agent or accountant service addresses. It's how directors keep home addresses off the public register.

Can I have multiple trading addresses?

Yes — the registered office is singular but you can trade from as many premises as you like. Contracts and invoices can list any trading address; only the registered office is on file at Companies House.

How can I find the real trading address of a company?

Not directly from Companies House. Try Google Maps for the business name, LinkedIn for staff locations, the VOA (Valuation Office Agency) for business-rates records, or ask the company.

Is a P.O. Box acceptable as registered office?

No. Companies House requires a physical address (a Royal Mail P.O. Box alone won't do). Serviced business centres and formation agents provide compliant physical addresses.

Should I be worried about a service address?

Only in combination. A service address plus new incorporation plus single-appointment director plus dormant accounts equals shell signal. A service address on a well-established trading business is completely normal.

Do employees have to work at the registered office?

No. The registered office is a legal notification point; it has no employment law significance.

Can I change the registered office?

Yes — file AD01 online, no fee. Change takes effect the day Companies House registers it.

Are directors' home addresses public?

Their service address is; their residential address is not — since 2018 residential addresses can be suppressed under Section 790ZG. Historical filings (pre-2018) may still show residential addresses.

What is a bona vacantia address?

The Treasury Solicitor's office — where dissolved company assets end up. Not a registered office you'd use voluntarily.

Should sellers disclose both addresses?

Yes — buyers should always know where the business actually operates. If a broker is presenting a target and only the registered office is disclosed, ask for the trading address before signing an NDA.

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