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Registered office address
The official address of a limited company. It is used for Companies House and official correspondence and appears on the public register.
Polar Address & Mail Setup
Business address UK — choose the right address without exposing more than you need to.
Understand registered office addresses, virtual business addresses, business mailing addresses and mail forwarding so you can set up professionally and decide whether using your home address is really right for your business.
Choosing a business address
Your business address is more than somewhere for letters to arrive.
A business may use an address for Companies House, official correspondence, invoices, customers, suppliers or everyday business mail.
That does not always mean every purpose has to use exactly the same address. The important thing is understanding what each address is for, what must be publicly visible and whether the service you choose is suitable for the way your business operates.
For founders working from home, this becomes particularly important. Using a home address can be simple, but it may also mean making that address more visible than you would like.
A professional business address should make running the business easier — not expose your private life unnecessarily.
Decide what the address needs to do before deciding which address to use.
Business address options
Registered office, business address and virtual office are not always the same thing.
UK address providers use several similar terms. Understanding the difference helps you avoid buying a service that does not cover the type of address or mail handling you actually need.
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Business address
An address used for general business correspondence, customers, suppliers, websites, invoices or stationery. The exact permitted use depends on the address or service provider.
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Virtual office address
A physical address supplied by a virtual office provider while you work somewhere else. Services may also include mail scanning, forwarding, storage or collection.
Registered office address UK
If you form a limited company, your registered office has specific rules.
GOV.UK requires a limited company to provide an appropriate registered office address. It must be a physical UK address in the same part of the UK in which the company is registered.
A registered office needs to meet Companies House requirements. A Royal Mail PO Box on its own cannot be used.
Someone acting for the company must be made aware when company post arrives and senders must be able to obtain confirmation of delivery.
Your registered office appears on the Companies House public register. That is an important consideration before using a home address.
GOV.UK says you can use another suitable address, such as an accountant, solicitor or agent, provided you have permission and the address meets the requirements.
Using your home address for business
Working from home doesn’t automatically mean your home should become your public business address.
Many founders start at home, and in some circumstances using a home address may be perfectly practical. But privacy should be considered before putting that address on a public register or using it widely for business correspondence.
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Will this address become publicly searchable?
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Are you comfortable customers and suppliers knowing where you live?
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Will business mail arriving at home become inconvenient?
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Do tenancy, mortgage or insurance conditions affect business use?
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Would a separate business address provide better privacy?
Virtual business address UK
A virtual address can separate where you work from where your business receives mail.
Virtual office and business-address providers commonly offer a physical address plus services such as mail forwarding, scanning, collection and secure disposal.
Privacy
A suitable address service can help avoid unnecessarily using a home address for public company information or everyday business mail.
Mail management
Providers may scan envelopes or letters, forward post to another address, hold mail for collection or provide digital mail management.
Professional presence
A dedicated business address can create separation between the founder’s private address and the address presented to customers and suppliers.
Business mail forwarding
Check what happens after the post actually arrives.
Address services can sound similar while providing very different mail handling. Some deal only with official company mail, while others can receive wider business correspondence or parcels.
Before paying for a service, check exactly what types of mail are accepted, what gets scanned, what gets forwarded and what additional handling or postage charges apply.
Choosing a business address service
Compare what the address can actually be used for.
The cheapest address is not necessarily the most useful one. A service that works for general business mail may not automatically be suitable as a registered office, and the reverse can also be true.
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Registered office use
Check whether the address can legally be used as your company’s registered office.
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Business correspondence
Confirm whether general mail from customers, banks and suppliers is included.
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Director service address
If relevant to your company setup, check whether a director service address is included or separate.
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Mail handling charges
Look beyond the headline subscription and understand scanning, forwarding and postage fees.
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Address location
Decide whether location matters commercially or whether a straightforward suitable UK address is enough.
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Changing later
Understand what happens to mail and company records if you move or stop using the service.
Business address mistakes
Five things worth avoiding before your address becomes part of the business.
Understand where an address will appear before using it for company registration or public-facing business information.
Registered office, business mail and director-service use can be different services.
Forwarding, scanning, parcels and postage can create additional costs.
Your business needs a reliable way to know when important correspondence arrives.
Start with your registration, privacy, customer and mail-handling requirements.
Polar Address & Mail Setup
Work out what address your business actually needs before sharing one everywhere.
Polar helps you think through the practical address and mail decisions that come with setting up a business — including registration, privacy and how important correspondence will reach you.
The aim is simple: help you understand what needs an address, where that address may become visible and when a separate business address or mail service may be worth considering.
Business address FAQs
Business addresses in the UK: common questions.
Do I need a business address in the UK?
The answer depends on your business structure and how you operate. A UK limited company must provide an appropriate registered office address. Other businesses may still need an address for correspondence, customers, invoices or other practical purposes.
Can I use my home address as my business address?
In some situations, yes. However, consider privacy, tenancy or mortgage conditions, insurance and whether the address will become publicly visible before using your home address widely.
Can I use my home address as my registered office?
A home address may be used if it meets the registered-office requirements, but the registered office appears publicly on the Companies House register. GOV.UK advises using another suitable address if you do not want a home address publicly available.
What is a virtual business address?
A virtual business address is a physical address supplied by a service provider while you operate from somewhere else. Depending on the service, it may include mail collection, scanning, forwarding or registered-office use.
What is the difference between a business address and registered office address?
A registered office is the official company address used for statutory correspondence and Companies House. A general business address may be used for everyday commercial mail and customer-facing information. Some providers offer both, but they are not automatically the same service.
Can a virtual office be used as a registered office?
Some virtual-office providers offer registered-office services, while others do not. Check that the specific service meets Companies House requirements before using it for company registration.
What is a business mailing address?
A business mailing address is an address used to receive business correspondence. Services may offer collection, scanning or forwarding to another address.
What is mail forwarding?
Mail forwarding means a provider receives post at its address and then sends it on to another address chosen by you. Some services also offer digital scanning instead of physical forwarding.
Can I use a PO Box as my registered office?
GOV.UK states that a Royal Mail PO Box cannot be used on its own as a registered office address. The registered office must meet the current Companies House requirements for an appropriate physical address.
How do I protect my home address when starting a company?
If you do not want your home used as the company’s public registered office, GOV.UK says you can use another suitable address such as that of an accountant, solicitor or an agent, provided you have permission and the address meets the required rules.
Set up professionally
Choose an address that works for the business without giving away more than you need to.
Polar Address & Mail Setup helps you think through registration, privacy and business correspondence as part of setting the business up properly.