How Many Companies Can Be Registered at One Address?

Ryan Patrick

Mar 9, 2024 • 9 min read

Every Limited Company in the UK is required by law to provide a registered office address during incorporation. A registered address is a physical address that must remain as long as the business is in operation.

The address must be actual, as it’s used by Companies House, HMRC, and other government agencies that must officially correspond with the company. Statutory communications and legal notices are securely delivered to a registered address.

Companies also keep their statutory registers at their registered office for the public to access for inspection. Alternatively, if there’s a different location to serve the same purpose, like a virtual address, whatever address you use must be operational to ensure every communication is delivered on time.

The registered address you use to register your business must be in the same jurisdiction the business is registered - Scotland, England and Wales, or Northern Ireland. However, a registered address doesn’t have to be in the same country where the business operates.

With that in mind, this question must linger: can multiple businesses be registered under one address? Read on as we discuss registered addresses and find the answers to multiple company registration at one address.

Why You Need a Registered Address

You must provide a registered office address for your business to QUALIFY as a limited company.

A registered address is essential as it serves the following purposes:

It makes your business credible to clients and customers
It’s a legal requirement by the Companies Act 2006
Official contact where mail is delivered to this address
Your home address remains private
It enhances openness and corporate transparency in the UK
It places your business in a large city if you live in a remote area
The storage location for statutory company registers to avail them to the public for inspection

The registered address you provide during incorporation must be a complete, physical postal address.

You can also provide a residential and non-residential address; however, using a commercial address will help protect your privacy at home. Some companies use a Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL) as an inspection location and choose to keep some statutory registers at Companies House.

Why Multiple Companies Can Register at One Address

The number of multiple registrations under a single postcode is increasing at the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR).

As a result, multiple registrations can lead to significant fluctuations and distort geographic data analysis. So, why do numerous companies register at one address? There are various reasons:

A surge in the use of management and personal service companies
Using formation agents to register a new business with Companies House
Virtual offices
The presence of the HMRC local offices
Foreign online sellers

Can Multiple Companies Register at One Address in the UK?

There are no regulations against registering multiple companies under a single address. Small entrepreneurs, sole traders like accountants, and freelancers can write at the same address. Here are more reasons why various businesses can use the same registered address during incorporation.

Personal service companies - Recently, private service companies have been on the increase, meaning there’s a surge in temporary employment. The most common temporary workers include teachers, nurses, and drivers who register their services under one address.
Low business survival rate - The uncertainty of starting a new business after the failure of another gives an entrepreneur the chance to use the same address. The former business address will remain on government records.
Virtual offices - A virtual office or address allows entrepreneurs and freelancers from different locations to register their business at their premises. You can typically register multiple addresses using the same virtual address.
Registered addresses - A registered address works the same way as virtual offices. It allows businesses and freelancers to rent an address to register their company. However, businesses don’t have to necessarily use the address physically. Registered addresses enable multiple companies to register and use the same address for correspondence.

Can Your Home Address Serve as a Registered Office?

If you operate a business from home, your home address can be your registered office. However, it’s highly discouraged since your registered address will be on the public record. Here are more reasons not to use your home as an office address:

Putting your home address on the public record opens your home to unwanted visitors and unsolicited mail.
Using a non-residential registered office address located in a prestigious city is more appealing to a more extensive client base and potential investors
A professional registered office presents a business front
You’re able to separate personal life and business
A registered address in a prominent city leaves room for small firms to expand their geographical reach, especially those operating in remote areas

Understanding Registered Office Address Service

If you’re ready to register your limited company and wonder about the registered address, using a recorded office address service is your solution. You can use a registered office address service for your company’s official communication and inspection.

Company formation agents and UK-based accountants offer registered office address services to business owners. At a fee, clients can use their business address for official communication and fulfil the government’s requirement for a registered address.

Companies House recognises and permits these service vendors to offer the service to businesses. The services benefit companies that must maintain privacy or separate work and private life.

The Difference Between a Registered Office and Service Address

Companies House uses a registered office address for official communication between the company and a limited company. Correspondence and legal notices from UK government agencies to the business should go to this address. For this reason, the registered address a business provides during registration must be operational and physically available.

Company directors, members, or secretaries can use the service address as the official contact address for communication. They receive individual statutory mail from government agencies like Companies House, and HMRC delivered to this service address.

Both addresses are permitted under UK company law and are added to the public Companies Register.

Unlike a registered office, which must be where the business is registered, a service address can be anywhere worldwide. However, you can use the same postal address as your registered office and service address if you have to.

Advantages of Using a Registered Office Address Service

Using a registered office address service comes with a handful of benefits like:

Access to a UK address - Non-UK residents without a permanent address in the UK can use a registered office address service when registering a company.
Privacy protection - It’s in the best interest of anyone operating a business from home to avoid using their home address as a registered address for privacy reasons.
Why? Because all registered office addresses are published on public record. Instead, a registered service address will be your company’s registered office address.
Prestigious business location - Registered office address services allow you to place your business in well-known commercial areas. Your presence in a prominent city enhances your business’ image and credibility.
Mail handling - The service vendor will handle your official mail. They receive, scan, and email your company’s official correspondence, ensuring you never miss any document.

Where You Can Register Multiple Businesses

Since you have no choice but to provide a registered address to incorporate your business, there are several options you can work with:

Home Address

As a new business owner, your home address can be your registered address. However, it may be a lousy exposure since the address will be on public record. Hence, using your home address as a registered address for your business makes it accessible to the public.

Further, you may experience privacy invasions and marketing spam from different agencies. Building trust with your clients might be challenging when your home is your registered address. Clients might be more forthcoming when purchasing services or products from a public or commercial space.

Virtual Address

Multiple businesses can use a single virtual address. A virtual address places your company in a busy city, making it appear credible and prestigious. Virtual offices will receive and forward mail to clients, including redirecting phone calls.

An Office Space

If you have an office space where you operate your business, you can use it as your registered address, even if multiple companies are under the same address. You can also use the same space to meet with your employees and staff.

Registered Address

Like a virtual address, a registered address can serve multiple businesses. How does it work? You rent a registered address at a valid UK postcode to fulfil the government’s requirement for a registered address. However, the subscription might increase if you register multiple businesses.

Where You Can’t Register Your Business

Although there are different options a business owner can register as a registered address, there are others you can’t use, like:

Abroad

Companies that operate in the UK can’t register multiple addresses or abroad. Your business registered address must be on premises within the UK with a valid UK postcode. For your business, the business address must be in the same region in the UK. For instance, a company in England can’t have a registered office in Scotland and vice versa.

A Family or Friend’s House

While there’s no rule barring you from using a family or friend’s home address, it’s not a wise idea. Like unwanted visitors and spam marketers will invade your home address, so will your friends’ homes. So, you can spare them the headache of dealing with the disturbance of different unwanted visitors.

PO Box

Companies House doesn’t allow using a PO box as a registered address because your business doesn’t operate there. While it’s an affordable business address to redirect your business mail, you can’t use it. The law requires that a business be registered at a valid UK address.

Can I Change My Company’s Registered Office to Another Country?

While Companies House is the Registrar for all UK companies, they operate under separate jurisdictions. The three jurisdictions, England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, are governed by varying judicial systems.

Following the Companies Act 2006, any time a company deals with legal issues, the case is presided over by a court in the jurisdiction where the business is registered. A registered office must be where the business is located to uphold this law.

You can register a business in England and have a registered address in Wales and vice versa. It’s also possible to move to a registered office from either of these countries as long as they provide proof of relocation.

England and Wales fall under the same jurisdiction, and businesses can be moved between them UNLESS they’re registered as ‘England only’ or ‘Wales only’.

In other cases, changing a registered office is possible, but not moving it to a different country after incorporation. However, companies and partnerships can trade in the three jurisdictions and expand their geographical reach.

Business Address vs Registered Office

Only statutory mail from government bodies will be sent to your registered office.

On the other hand, a business address is used for general correspondence from all parties associated with a company: customers, utility providers, suppliers, contractors and any other third parties.

Companies in different parts of the UK can have multiple business addresses to ensure continuous business contact with clientele. Establishing a local presence for a business is essential as it provides growth and stability.

The law doesn’t require a business address to be the same as a registered address, but you can still use the same address for both. But, you should ensure the address you provide to Companies House meets the required criteria.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Am I allowed to change a registered address?

You can change your registered address as much as you like, but it must remain within the UK. After the change, notify Companies House to ensure it’s registered and your registered office address is current. Plus, you should move all statutory records to the new address unless you have a SAIL address.

Can I change my registered office address from public to private?

No. You can’t move a registered office address from public records after submitting it to Companies House. It remains on public record even when the address is changed. Thus, it’s helpful if you make careful considerations before submitting a registered office address.

Can I run multiple companies in the UK under one umbrella?

UK company law allows owners to operate multiple businesses under a limited company. The businesses don’t have to provide the same services or sell the same products as long as they adhere to business laws.

Can multiple LLCs have the same registered address?

Yes, no law limits the number of LLCs that can use the same address as long as the address is in the right UK region.

In summary

No law PROHIBITS multiple businesses from using the same registered address. Companies House requires every business to provide a valid UK-registered address for official correspondence and inspection by other government bodies. To ensure business continuity, a virtual or registered address is much better for any company operating from home or nomads. As for using your home address at the registered office, you may be opening your home to unwanted visitors or junk mail, which takes away your privacy. If you have any questions about business structures in UK or business addresses, don’t hesitate to contact us here, and we’ll do everything we can to help.