What is the Difference Between a Service Address and Registered Office Address?

Starting a limited company is a huge learning process, you’ll find yourself constantly expanding your knowledge, from figuring out new taxes to understanding business terminology. So, when you launch a new business in the UK, you’ll encounter some new terms such as “service address” and “registered office address”. But what’s the difference?

When registering your limited company, you must provide a registered office address for your company and a service address for your company officers, such as directors or a company secretary. Both addresses are listed publicly on Companies House and are legally required for all UK limited companies and LLPs.  

Today’s article is here to cut through the jargon. We’ll explore the key difference between a service address and a registered office address. We’ll be examining a few key questions such as: ‘What is a registered office address?’, ‘What is a service address?’ and ‘What is a business address?’ 

What is a Service Address?

In short, a service address is the official correspondence address for a company’s officers, it is also known as a correspondence address. Every company officer must supply a service address, and this address is listed alongside their name, under the company listing, on the Companies House register. The service address is the official address for each company officer, it's where they’ll receive statutory correspondence and other non-official post such as marketing, packages etc.

A company officer can use any address as a service address, unlike a registered office address, a service address does not need to be in the UK. Other features of a service address are:

• Location: A service address can be based anywhere in the world. 
• Privacy: A service address is public and accessible to anyone. For this reason, many choose to use a non-residential address for this. 
• Changeable: You can change a service address at any point. 
• Same Addresses: A service address can be the same as a registered office address or trading address. 
• Must be a physical address: You cannot use a P.O. box address as a service address, it must be a physical address. 

What is a Registered Office Address?

Where a service address is a company officer’s correspondence address, a registered office address is a company’s official correspondence address. This is where a company will receive all statutory correspondence from regulatory bodies. It must be a physical address in the UK and is required by law of all limited companies and LLPs. In short, to have a legal and compliant limited company or LLP, you must have a registered office address which follows all regulations.

There are a number of reasons beyond legality as to why a registered office is essential to a business. Some  features of a registered office are:

• Official Communication: All statutory mail from regulatory bodies will be received at this address. 
• Privacy: A registered office address is publicly listed on the Companies House Register. 
• Compliance: A company must legally have a registered office address which meets regulations or risk facing penalties. 
• Legitimacy: A compliant registered office address will boost a company’s reputation and make it a safer bet for clients, partners, and investors. 
• Location: A registered office must be in the UK and have a physical address. Secondly, your registered office must be based in the same jurisdiction as your company. For example, if you register your company in Scotland your registered office must also be in Scotland.

Key Differences Between Service and Registered Office Addresses

The biggest differences between a service address and a registered office address are their purpose and the location. A registered office address is the company’s official address and must be within the UK, within the same jurisdiction as the company, and a physical address. On the other hand, a service address is the correspondence address of a company’s officers, and it can be anywhere in the world as long as it is a physical address.

The biggest similarities between the two addresses are that both are legally required, both are given when registering a company and both are public.

• What are non-compliance penalties? 

Can I Use the Same Address for my Service and Registered Office Addresses?

You can, and most companies do, use the same address for both their service address and registered office address.

Many business owners find using one address more convenient since all of their company’s and officer’s official mail comes to one address. This is particularly useful if a company opts to use a non-resident address, which is recommended.

You can use any address for your service and registered office address, as long as they are compliant with registered office regulations. There are a few options from using your home address to using a registered office address service. However, if you use your home address, you can open yourself up to some serious privacy issues. Since both addresses are public and linked to both your company officer’s names and your company name.

However, a cost-effective way to keep your privacy whilst remaining compliant with company law is by opting for a registered office service and a service address service. Both services allow you to use an address, which is already compliant with the standing regulations, in turn, the service provider safely and securely processes your mail and sends it.

With Companies MadeSimple, our registered office service includes your company officer’s service address. Why pay twice for the same address when our service covers both?

What is a Business Address? 

A business address is typically where a company is based and trades from. This is also known as a trading address or a business service address. A key difference between a business address vs registered office is that unlike a registered office or a service address, a business address is not a legal requirement or needed during registration.

You may choose to use our registered office address as your service and registered office address, however, if you work from your home– this will be your business address.

There are a few benefits to trading from a separate business address, such as:

• Deliveries: You can route your deliveries to this address so you don’t miss out on any packages or non-statutory mail needed for your business operations.
• Banking and Accounts: You can use this address for any banking or credit purposes ensuring you’ll receive all important communication from your bank. 
• Customer Communication: You can supply this address to your customers, partners or investors as a point of contact. 

Final Thoughts

So there you have it! A service address is your company officer’s correspondence address, a registered office address is your company’s official address and a business address is where your company trades/works from. Each plays a crucial part in your business’s operations, most importantly, a registered office and service address are legal requirements. You must have a registered office address which complies with company law or face some serious penalties.

It’s important to pick the right address for your needs, for example, a registered office address based in London may help enhance your company’s professional image.

This is where we come in! Our registered office service includes both the registered office address and your officers’ service address. This means you can rest assured that all of your important statutory mail will be delivered and processed securely. Our registered office is regulated and in line with all the latest regulations, ensuring your company stays compliant.