Updating Your Address with Companies House

At Towerstone Accountants we provide specialist limited company accountancy services for directors and owner managed businesses across the UK. We created this webpage for people responsible for company filings and statutory records who want clear guidance on Companies House requirements without jargon. Our aim is to help you understand your obligations, avoid filing errors, and stay compliant with Companies House and HMRC.

Changing your company address on Companies House sounds straightforward and in many ways it is but it is also an area where small mistakes can create ongoing problems. I regularly help directors who have moved office changed accountants started working from home or simply realised that their registered office address is no longer appropriate. Very often the issue is not the change itself but misunderstanding which address needs to be changed and where it appears publicly.

In this article I am going to explain clearly how to change an address on Companies House in the UK. I will cover the different types of company addresses how to update each one what deadlines apply and the common errors I see directors make. I am writing this in the first person based on real UK practice and everything here aligns with guidance from Companies House HM Revenue and Customs and GOV.UK.

Why company addresses matter more than people realise

Your company address is not just an administrative detail. It determines where official letters are sent which information is shown on the public register and in some cases how your business is perceived by customers suppliers and lenders.

If addresses are wrong or out of date you risk:

• Missing important Companies House notices

• Missing HMRC correspondence

• Penalties for late filings you did not know about

• Personal address details being shown publicly by mistake

Keeping addresses accurate is a basic but critical director responsibility.

Understanding the different company addresses

One of the biggest sources of confusion is that companies do not have just one address. There are several and they serve different purposes.

The main addresses you may need to change are:

• Registered office address

• Director service address

• Director residential address

• Company correspondence address with HMRC

• Trading address if different

Changing one does not automatically update the others so it is important to understand what each one does.

What is the registered office address

The registered office address is the official legal address of the company. This is the address that appears on the public Companies House register.

Key points about the registered office address are:

• It must be a physical address in the UK

• It must be in the same UK jurisdiction as the company registration

• Official mail from Companies House and HMRC can be sent there

• It is visible to the public

This address does not have to be where the company trades from but it must be somewhere documents can be reliably received.

Common reasons directors change the registered office

In practice the most common reasons I see include:

• Moving premises

• Changing accountants

• Switching from home address to accountant address

• Wanting to protect personal privacy

• Closing a physical office and going remote

All of these are valid reasons but the change must be recorded correctly.

How to change the registered office address

Changing the registered office address is done by filing a form AD01 with Companies House.

This can be done:

• Online using Companies House WebFiling

• Through accounting or company secretarial software

• By post using a paper form

The online method is by far the quickest and most reliable.

Once submitted and accepted the change usually appears on the public register within 24 hours.

When the change takes effect

The change takes effect from the date Companies House registers it not the date you moved.

This is important because:

• Documents sent to the old address before registration are still considered properly delivered

• You remain responsible for receiving mail at the old address until the change is registered

I always advise clients to submit the change as soon as possible after moving.

Changing director service addresses

Each director has a service address which is also shown on the public register. This is the address where official correspondence for the director can be sent.

Key points about director service addresses include:

• They are publicly visible

• They do not have to be the same as the registered office

• They can be an accountant’s address or office address

Many directors use the registered office address as their service address but this is not required.

How to change a director service address

Director service addresses are updated by filing a form CH01 for each director.

This can also be done online or via software.

Each director’s address must be updated individually. Changing the registered office does not automatically update director service addresses.

Director residential addresses and privacy

Directors also have a residential address on record but this is not shown publicly.

Important points include:

• The residential address is protected information

• It is only shared with certain public bodies

• It should still be kept accurate

If a director moves home the residential address should be updated using the same CH01 process.

What happens if you do not update addresses

Failing to update company addresses can lead to real problems.

I have seen cases where:

• Strike off notices were sent to old addresses

• Penalty letters were never received

• Directors assumed filings had been made when they had not

• Personal addresses were exposed unintentionally

Companies House assumes documents sent to the registered office are properly delivered even if nobody reads them.

Changing your address with HMRC

Changing your address at Companies House does not automatically update HMRC in all cases.

You may need to update HMRC separately for:

• Corporation Tax

• PAYE

• VAT

This can usually be done through your HMRC online account or by notifying HMRC in writing.

If you use an accountant they will often handle this as part of the change but it is worth confirming.

Registered office versus trading address

A common misunderstanding is thinking the registered office must be the trading address.

In reality:

• The registered office is a legal address

• The trading address is where the business actually operates

• They can be different

However your trading address may appear on invoices websites and HMRC records so it should also be kept accurate.

Using your accountant’s address as the registered office

Many companies choose to use their accountant’s address as the registered office.

The advantages include:

• Privacy for home based directors

• Professional handling of official mail

• Reduced risk of missing deadlines

The key point is that the accountant must agree to this and have systems in place to pass on correspondence promptly.

Changing address if your company is dormant

Dormant companies still need accurate addresses.

Even if a company is not trading:

• Companies House letters are still sent

• Confirmation statements are still required

• Strike off action can still be taken

Address changes for dormant companies follow the same process.

Changing address during company closure

If you are in the process of closing a company address accuracy is especially important.

Strike off notices and objections are sent to the registered office. If these are missed the company can be dissolved with assets still inside.

I always recommend keeping addresses stable and monitored until the company is fully closed.

How long Companies House takes to update addresses

Online filings are usually processed very quickly often within the same day.

Paper filings can take several weeks and are more prone to delays and errors.

For anything time sensitive I strongly recommend online filing.

Common mistakes I see directors make

There are a few recurring errors that cause unnecessary issues.

These include:

• Changing the trading address but not the registered office

• Assuming HMRC is updated automatically

• Forgetting to update director service addresses

• Using an address where mail cannot be reliably received

• Leaving old addresses in place after changing accountants

Most of these mistakes are simple to avoid with a checklist approach.

Legal responsibility for address accuracy

It is important to be clear that the legal responsibility sits with the directors not the accountant or agent.

Even if someone else submits the form directors remain responsible for ensuring information is correct and up to date.

Checking your details on the public register

After making any changes I always advise checking the public Companies House record.

This allows you to:

• Confirm the change has been processed

• Spot any errors quickly

• Ensure no other details need updating

Mistakes are far easier to correct early.

Changing address for multiple companies

If you are a director of several companies each one must be updated individually.

There is no bulk change across multiple companies unless software is used and even then each filing is separate.

Costs of changing address

Companies House does not charge a fee for changing the registered office or director addresses when filed online.

If an agent or accountant handles the change there may be a small administration fee.

When you should get advice

Changing an address is usually straightforward but advice can be helpful where:

• Multiple companies are involved

• A holding company structure exists

• A company is in financial difficulty

• There are privacy concerns

• The company is being closed or restructured

In these cases small mistakes can have bigger consequences.

How an accountant helps with address changes

As an accountant I often manage these updates as part of ongoing compliance.

This includes:

• Filing address changes promptly

• Coordinating updates with HMRC

• Reviewing all company details together

• Ensuring privacy is protected

• Keeping records consistent

This reduces risk and saves directors time.

Final thoughts

Changing your address on Companies House is a simple task but it carries more importance than many directors realise. Accurate addresses protect you from missed deadlines lost correspondence and unnecessary penalties. In my experience most problems arise not from complex rules but from assumptions that one change updates everything.

If you understand the different addresses involved update them promptly and double check the public record you can treat this as a routine piece of housekeeping rather than a source of future stress.

You may also find our guidance on how to change company name on companies house and what is companies house helpful when dealing with related Companies House tasks. For a broader overview of filings, registers, and statutory duties, you can visit our companies house hub.