Moving Abroad? Your Company’s Registered Office

If you move abroad, your company’s registered office must stay in the UK, in the same part of the UK where the company is registered. You can keep running the company from anywhere, but the registered office has to be a UK address you are entitled to use, where official post reaches someone acting for the company. Most owners who relocate switch to a registered office service before they leave, file the change with Companies House, and update their own service and home addresses on the register. This guide walks through each step.

Why the Registered Office Cannot Move With You

Every UK company is registered in one part of the UK: England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Its registered office must be in that same part of the UK for as long as the company exists. A company registered in England and Wales cannot use an address in Spain, Dubai or New York as its registered office, however long you live there.

Since 4 March 2024 the address must also be an appropriate address: post sent there must reach someone acting for the company, and delivery must be able to be acknowledged. A PO Box on its own is not enough. If Companies House finds the address is not appropriate, it can move the company to its default address.

Your Three Options for a UK Address

Option	Works if	Watch out for
An address you keep in the UK (a property you own or rent out, a family member’s home)	Someone there will open and forward official post promptly	Tenants or relatives missing letters from Companies House or HMRC; the address becomes public
Your accountant’s office	Your accountant agrees and handles the post	Some accountants charge for this or stop when you change accountant
A registered office service	You want official post scanned and emailed to you abroad	What post is included and whether the provider files the change for you

For most people living abroad, a registered office service is the simplest choice: the address is always staffed, and letters reach you by email wherever you are. CorpAssist’s London registered office costs £39.99 a year for companies registered in England and Wales, and the change of registered office is filed for you as part of the order.

How to Change the Registered Office Before You Leave

Arrange the new address first. The company must be entitled to use it. A registered office service gives you written confirmation.
File the change with Companies House. Use the company’s authentication code to file a change of registered office address (form AD01) online. There is no fee. See how to change your registered office address for the full process.
Keep an eye on the old address for a short while. The change takes effect when Companies House registers it, and documents can still be served at the old address for a short period afterwards.
Update everyone else. Your bank, HMRC records, website, invoices and letterheads should show the new registered office.

Prefer not to file it yourself? CorpAssist checks the new address and files the change of registered office for you for £44.99.

What Else Changes on the Register When You Move?

Your home address

Directors must tell Companies House within 14 days when their personal details change, including their home address. Your home address is kept on a private register, so your new address abroad is not shown publicly.

Your service address

Your service address is public. It can be anywhere in the world, but if it is your old UK home or your new home abroad, anyone can see it. Many directors who move use a director service address instead: CorpAssist’s registered office plus director service address costs £59.99 a year.

People with significant control

If you are also a person with significant control, your details on the PSC register need updating too. Your country of residence changes, and your service address may change.

Mail, Banking and Tax: What to Sort Out Too

Official mail. Make sure letters from Companies House and HMRC reach you. Missing a confirmation statement or accounts reminder can lead to penalties or strike-off.
Your bank. Tell your business bank you are moving. Some UK banks restrict accounts when all directors live abroad. See business bank accounts for non-residents.
Tax residence. A UK company is generally UK tax resident, but if it is run from another country it may also be taxed there. Take advice from a tax adviser in your new country before you move.
Identity verification. If you have not yet verified your identity with Companies House, you can do it from abroad. CorpAssist accepts passports from 190+ countries; see verification for overseas directors.

Checklist Before You Leave the UK

New registered office arranged in the company’s part of the UK, and the change filed with Companies House.
Your new home address sent to Companies House within 14 days of moving.
A service address you are happy to have on the public register.
PSC details updated if you are a person with significant control.
Your bank, accountant and HMRC told about the move.
Advice taken on tax residence for you and the company.
Your Companies House authentication code and login details kept somewhere you can reach from abroad.

Keep Your Company Running From Abroad

CorpAssist helps company owners who are moving overseas keep everything in order:

London registered office from £39.99 a year for England and Wales companies, with the change of registered office filed for you
Official letters from Companies House and HMRC scanned and emailed to you, wherever you live
Registered office plus director service address for £59.99 a year, so neither your old nor your new home address is public
Moving to your own new UK address instead? We check it and file the change for £44.99
Filed through our Companies House-registered ACSP partner, using your company’s authentication code

Start — £44.99 What is included

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a UK company have its registered office outside the UK?

No. A UK company’s registered office must be in the part of the UK where the company is registered: England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. If you move abroad, the company keeps a UK registered office and you move the address to one you can use in the right part of the UK.

Can I keep my UK company if I move abroad?

Yes. UK company law has no residence requirement for directors or shareholders, so you can run the company from anywhere. You need a UK registered office, an up-to-date service address and home address on the register, and advice on tax, because a company run from another country may also be taxed there.

Is changing the registered office address free?

Yes. Companies House does not charge to change a registered office address online. CorpAssist checks the new address and files the change for £44.99, or files it as part of a registered office service from £39.99 a year.

Do I need to tell Companies House my new home address abroad?

Yes. Directors must tell Companies House within 14 days when their personal details change, including their address. Your home address is kept off the public record; your service address is the one people see, and it can be anywhere in the world.

What happens to post sent to my old UK address?

Letters from Companies House, HMRC and the courts go to the registered office. If that is an address you no longer have access to, you can miss deadlines and penalties. A registered office service scans official letters and emails them to you wherever you live.

Will moving abroad change where my company pays tax?

It can. A UK company is generally UK tax resident, but if it is managed and controlled from another country it may also be taxable there. Speak to a tax adviser in your new country before you move.

Rules on registered offices and director details are set out on GOV.UK in running a limited company. CorpAssist is an independent commercial service and is not Companies House or GOV.UK.