Virtual Business Address Plans for UK Sole Traders and Limited Companies

Whether you are a sole trader setting up your first business address or a limited company looking for a registered office and trading address, Warehouse Address has a plan designed for your specific situation. This guide explains which virtual business address plan is right for you, what each plan includes and how the address works for HMRC, Companies House, marketplaces and banking.

Plans for Sole Traders

As a sole trader you are not required by law to have a separate business address but having one protects your home address from being publicly visible, satisfies marketplace and payment processor requirements and presents your business professionally to customers and suppliers.

UK Virtual Address for Sole Traders

Entry level plan for self employed individuals. Suitable for HMRC correspondence, bank verification and marketplace registration. Includes a formal service agreement. From £11.99/month.

Sole Trader Mail Address UK

Full commercial trading estate address that accepts post and courier parcels. Suitable for sole traders who receive business correspondence and returns at their business address. Includes formal service agreement for HMRC, bank and marketplace use.

Plans for Limited Companies

Limited companies have two distinct address requirements: a registered office address at Companies House and a trading address for day to day operations. These can be the same address or different addresses depending on your setup.

Registered Office Address

The registered office is the legal address of your UK limited company at Companies House. It must be a real UK address where official correspondence from Companies House and HMRC can be received. All plans include mail acceptance and forwarding of official correspondence.

• UK Registered Office Address. For single director companies. Registered office at a commercial trading estate. From £3.99/month.
• Registered Office and Director Service Address UK. Registered office plus a separate director service address for one director. Keeps director home addresses off the public Companies House register.
• Registered Office Address for Two Directors. Registered office plus service addresses for two directors.
• Registered Office Address for Up to Four Directors. Registered office plus service addresses for up to four directors.

See all registered office options: compare registered office address plans.

What Is a SAIL Address?

A SAIL address (Single Alternative Inspection Location) is an alternative address where a company's statutory records can be kept instead of at the registered office. A SAIL address at Companies House must be in the same part of the UK as the registered office. Warehouse Address can serve as your SAIL address for statutory record inspection purposes.

What Is a PPOB Address?

A PPOB (Principal Place of Business) address is used by some HMRC registrations including VAT and is the main location from which your business operates or is administered. A commercial trading estate address is accepted by HMRC as a PPOB address for VAT registration purposes.

Trading Address for Limited Companies

Your trading address is where your business operates day to day. It appears on invoices, websites, marketplace seller accounts and bank correspondence. It does not need to be the same as your registered office.

• Virtual Address for UK Limited Companies. Full trading address at a commercial trading estate. Accepts post and courier parcels. Includes formal service agreement for marketplace and bank use.
• Limited Company Mail Address UK. Trading address with mail acceptance. Suitable for limited companies that need a professional address for all business correspondence.
• UK Trading Address With Official Agreement. Full commercial trading estate address with a comprehensive formal service agreement. Accepted by Amazon UK, eBay UK, TikTok Shop UK, PayPal, Stripe and UK banks.

Director Service Address

A director service address keeps your personal home address off the public Companies House register. All director correspondence from Companies House and HMRC is received at the service address and forwarded to you. This is included in the multi-director registered office plans or available as part of the registered office and director address plan.

Mail and Digital Mailbox Plans

For sole traders and limited companies that need to manage UK business post remotely, two mail service options are available:

• UK Trading Address With Mail Forwarding. Physical post received and forwarded to any UK or international address.
• Digital Mailbox UK. Post received and scanned digitally. Manage all UK business post online from any location.

See: virtual address mail services.

Which Plan Is Right for You?

• Sole trader, HMRC and bank only → UK virtual address for sole traders
• Sole trader on marketplaces needing returns → sole trader mail address UK
• Limited company, registered office only → registered office address from £3.99/month
• Limited company with directors needing service addresses → registered office and director service address
• Limited company needing a full trading address → virtual address for UK limited companies
• Any business needing marketplace verification → UK trading address with official agreement

See all options side by side: compare all plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a registered office address and a trading address?

A registered office address is the legal address of a UK limited company at Companies House. A trading address is where the business operates day to day and is used for marketplace registration, banking and customer correspondence. Both are available from Warehouse Address.

Do sole traders need a registered office address?

No. Registered office addresses are only required for UK limited companies at Companies House. Sole traders need a trading or business address for HMRC, bank and marketplace use. See: UK virtual address for sole traders.

What is a SAIL address and do I need one?

A SAIL address is a Single Alternative Inspection Location where your company's statutory registers are kept. It is optional. If you use one, it must be registered at Companies House and be in the same part of the UK as your registered office. Warehouse Address can serve as your SAIL address.

Can I use a virtual address as my PPOB for VAT registration?

A commercial trading estate address is accepted by HMRC as a principal place of business for VAT registration in most cases. Always confirm directly with HMRC for your specific circumstances.

How much does a virtual business address cost for a UK limited company?

Registered office from £3.99/month. Trading address from £11.99/month. No long term contracts. See: compare all plans.

Companies House and HMRC requirements may change. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant authority.