Registered Office and Service Address: What's the Difference?

If you are starting a new business in the UK, trying to understand the ins and outs of registering a company can prove to be quite daunting. Two key elements of this registration process involve the registered office address and the service address. These two, though sounding somewhat alike, differ in function and specific criteria. Thus, this article intends to shed light on these differences in meaning and describe the process of registration. It will also document all the necessary information that hopefully will make the ease of registering a company a reality.

Understanding Registered Office Address

The registered office address is deemed an official address of the company recorded at Companies House, the UK's official registry of companies. It is a very important address because this is where all the statutory documents from government bodies like HMRC and The Companies House are sent to.

Key Features of a Registered Office Address:

• Legally required - Every company in the UK has to be able to prove one registered office address.
• Public Record - This address is in the public domain; therefore, anyone can access it from Companies House.
• Physical Location - The office of registration must be a physical address within the UK, and there are no provisions for PO Boxes.
• Not necessarily a business location - The registered office does not have to be a location where any business activities are carried out. This is why a lot of companies choose to use their accountant's or a third-party service's address to keeping the actual address private.
• Changeable - A company is allowed to change the address of its registered office at any time by updating their details with Companies House.

Understanding Service Address

Unlike a registered address, service address is for the company directors and secretaries only. This address allows such persons to receive official correspondences regarding their appointments without necessarily revealing their residential addresses.

Key Features of Service Address:

• Privacy Protection - Directors can use an alternative address for keeping their home addresses private.
• Flexibility - Unlike registered office, service address does not necessarily need to have a physical location in the UK and could be located anywhere in the world.
• Publicly Available - Just like registered office, the service address is also listed on the public record that is maintained at Companies House.
• Changeable - Just like the registered office address, directors may choose to change their service addresses at any time that they wish.

Key Differences Between Registered Office and Service Address

The key differences between a registered office address and service address have been outlined below:

Conclusion

Whether one just wants to set up a company in the UK or venture into business, one has to understand the difference between the registered office address and the service address. Both of these addresses serve important functions but cater to different needs – one for official company correspondence and another for protecting personal information related to the directors. Knowing such differences and having all the documents you may need to be prepared in advance could make the registration process easier to go through and be better positioned for the success of your business.