Registered office, ID and compliance
Every UK company needs a UK registered office that is an appropriate address. Why a home address abroad will not work and what to use instead.
Short answer
You need a UK address, not an address in your home country, that is an appropriate address able to receive post and acknowledge delivery. Most non-resident directors use an accountant's or formation agent's UK office, which also handles the official correspondence that arrives there.
Written and reviewed by Waqas Sagar Member of ICAEW, Fellow of ACCA, Fellow of AAT, a double graduate and entrepreneur at heart, helping startups grow and serving thousands of businesses nationwide with an excellent team. Published by LimitedCompany.Accountants, 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Reviewed 12 September 2026 against 2026/27 UK rates and current Companies House and HMRC guidance.
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QuickBooks PartnerCertified ProAdvisor100+ yearsCombined team experienceFully insuredUp to £2m indemnityYou need a UK address, not an address in your home country, that is an appropriate address able to receive post and acknowledge delivery. Most non-resident directors use an accountant's or formation agent's UK office, which also handles the official correspondence that arrives there.
Why it cannot be your overseas home address
What makes an address suitable
Companies House requires the registered office to be in the part of the UK where the company is registered, so an address in another country is never acceptable, however genuine your business presence there might be.
The registered office is also where Companies House and HMRC send statutory letters, penalty notices and the corporation tax UTR. If nobody in the UK checks that address, important post is missed before you even know it arrived.
Since the appropriate address rules took effect, the office must be a real location where a document addressed to the company would come to the attention of someone acting on its behalf, and delivery must be capable of being recorded.
A serviced office, coworking space or accountant's premises usually qualifies if post is actually opened or scanned and forwarded. A residential address, PO box or unmanned mailbox generally does not meet the standard.
Our fixed monthly packages for a UK limited company start at £89 plus VAT and run to £169 and £289 plus VAT as bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and reporting are added. One-off filings are sold at fixed prices, and the Companies House fees we pay for you are charged at cost with no VAT added. Overseas owners are quoted on exactly the same published prices as UK-resident clients.
Rates, thresholds and deadlines here reflect the 2026/27 UK position and current Companies House and HMRC guidance. Check GOV.UK, or ask us, before relying on them for your own company.
Primary references
Local help
We work with company directors across London and Surrey from our office at 12 London Road, Morden, London SM4 5BQ. Pick your area, or send the form below and we will call you back.
Frequently asked
Yes, you can change it at any time free of charge by filing the change with Companies House.
Yes, it appears on the public register alongside your company number and filing history.
No. Tax residence depends on incorporation and management, not on the registered office location.
Keep bank statements, sales and platform reports, purchase invoices, payroll records, VAT workings, finance agreements and Companies House correspondence. We confirm the exact list at onboarding and identify gaps before a filing deadline becomes urgent.
The fee depends on transaction volume, record quality, VAT and payroll requirements, historic catch-up and the level of reporting needed. We agree a fixed scope and price before technical work starts, with published packages available on our fees page.
Yes. We request professional clearance, collect the prior records and authorities, check the next Companies House and HMRC deadlines, and give you one clear handover list. The process is normally completed remotely.
Yes. We work through secure cloud records, scheduled reviews and digital approvals, while keeping a named team available by phone, video call and email. Clients can also visit our Morden office by appointment.
We regularly work with Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Sage and connected sales or expense apps. The right setup depends on transaction volume, integrations and the reports you need, not simply the software brand.
The relevant calendar may include annual accounts, Corporation Tax payment and return dates, confirmation statements, VAT returns, payroll submissions and Self Assessment. We map the dates from your company year end and registrations.
Yes. You can ask a straightforward initial question without charge. Calculations, filings, written advice, planning and HMRC correspondence are scoped and quoted before work begins.
Included approach
Talk to an accountant
Share your next deadline, accounting problem or growth question. We will reply with a clear next step and quote any technical work before it begins.
Chat with ACCOTAX on WhatsAppPick a time that suits you and a qualified accountant will call you about your company, deadlines and fees.
Appointments run Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Your confirmation is emailed straight away.
Four London offices
Work with us entirely online, or sit down with your accountant at whichever office suits you. Open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Office visits are by appointment only, so please book before coming in.
Free, no obligation
Pick a time that suits you and a qualified accountant will call you about your company, deadlines and fees.
Appointments run monday to friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm. Your confirmation is emailed straight away.
