How to Change Your Limited Company’s Registered Office Address

Changing your limited company’s registered office is a formal company-record change, not just an edit to your website or invoice. Before switching addresses, arrange an eligible replacement, confirm you are authorised to use it and check the current Companies House process for notifying the change.

This guide explains the practical steps, including what to consider when moving away from an accountant’s address. It focuses on the company’s registered office, not fulfilment, dispatch or general address services.

Last reviewed: September 2026. Confirm current filing requirements with Companies House before making a change.

Before You Change the Registered Office

First, confirm that the address you are changing is the company’s registered office. A director service address, residential address, correspondence address and public trading address serve different purposes. Changing one does not automatically update the others.

Make a note of the company’s registered jurisdiction and check that the replacement address is appropriate for that jurisdiction. If a provider supplies more than one address, confirm the exact address and that your plan permits it to be used as the registered office.

How to Change a Limited Company’s Registered Office

1. Arrange the replacement address first

Do not give up the existing address until you have confirmed that the new provider authorises registered-office use and explained how official documents will be received and passed to you.

2. Check your current provider’s terms

Review the agreement with your accountant or address provider. Check the cancellation notice period, final service date, outstanding charges, mail forwarding arrangements and how any documents received after cancellation will be handled.

3. Submit the address change through the current official route

Use the current Companies House instructions for changing a company’s registered office. Enter the new address accurately and submit the required notice using the method specified by Companies House. Requirements and processes can change, so check the official guidance rather than relying on an old form, article or saved link.

4. Keep the previous address available while the change is processed

Do not assume the change takes effect simply because you have sent a notification. Check the company’s public record and follow the official confirmation process. Keep access to the old address and its mail service until you are satisfied that the registered details have been updated and important correspondence will reach you.

5. Update other records separately

A registered-office change does not automatically update your director service address, bank, tax records, insurer, website, invoices, supplier profiles or marketplace account. Review each record and update only the address field that is actually changing.

Moving Away From Your Accountant’s Registered Office

If your accountant currently provides your registered office, plan the switch with both the accountant and the new provider. Ask your accountant:

• When the existing registered-office service ends
• Whether they will continue forwarding mail received during a transition period
• How they will return or securely pass on company documents
• Whether there are notice requirements or final fees
• Whether the registered office and other services, such as bookkeeping, are contracted separately

Then ask the new provider to confirm in writing the exact address, permitted use, start date, mail-notification process and any forwarding or scanning fees. Avoid creating a gap where neither provider is responsible for company mail.

Registered Office vs Director Service Address

The registered office is the company’s address. A director service address is used for official correspondence to an individual director. If you are moving the company’s registered office, check whether the director’s service address should also change, but do not assume the two records update together.

For more detail, read the Director Service Address UK guide.

What About Company Mail During the Change?

Official letters may still be sent to the previous address while your records and senders are being updated. Agree who will notify you, forward or otherwise handle mail received during the transition, and for how long. Keep copies of important notices and record when each address change was submitted and confirmed.

A registered-office service is for the company’s formal address role. Do not assume it includes all bank, customer, supplier or personal correspondence. Check the plan’s mail scope and update other organisations separately.

Common Registered Office Change Mistakes

• Ending the old service before arranging an authorised replacement
• Using a new address without checking jurisdiction and provider permission
• Assuming the change is complete as soon as a form or online notice is submitted
• Forgetting to check the public company record for the updated details
• Assuming the director service address, bank details and website update automatically
• Leaving no plan for company mail received during the transition
• Confusing a registered office with the company’s trading or customer contact address

Quick Registered Office Changeover Checklist

1. Confirm which company address is changing.
2. Check the company’s jurisdiction and the replacement address’s permitted use.
3. Agree a start date and mail process with the new provider.
4. Check notice, cancellation and mail arrangements with the current provider or accountant.
5. Follow the current Companies House procedure and retain confirmation.
6. Check the public company record once the change has been processed.
7. Update director, banking, tax, insurance and public-facing records separately where needed.
8. Keep a record of dates, correspondence and provider agreements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my registered office at any time?

A company can change its registered office by following the current official procedure. Check the requirements that apply to your company and jurisdiction before submitting the change.

Do I need to tell my accountant?

If your accountant provides the existing registered-office service, check their agreement and coordinate the end date and handling of any company mail.

Will changing the registered office change my director service address?

Not automatically. They are separate address records, so review and change the director’s service address separately if needed.

Does my registered office have to be where I trade?

Not necessarily. The registered office is a formal company address, not automatically proof of the company’s operating location. Use each address accurately for its intended role.

How quickly does a change take effect?

Follow the current Companies House process and check the official record for confirmation. Do not rely on an assumed processing time.

Choose a Replacement Address With the Right Permission

Before you submit a change, confirm that the replacement provider permits the address to be used as a registered office and that you understand the mail and cancellation arrangements. The Registered Office Address plan is listed at £3.99 when purchased using the annual plan option; confirm the billed total and current terms on the product page.

For the address requirements before formation, read Registered Office Address Requirements in England and Wales. For the wider ecommerce address context, see the real warehouse address for ecommerce page. A company’s registered office remains a separate address role.

This article provides general information only and is not legal, company-secretarial or tax advice. Filing procedures can change. Confirm current requirements with Companies House and check your provider’s agreement before making a change.