Registered office

Can you use a PO box as your registered office?

You can't use a PO box as your registered office. Since 4 March 2024 a company's registered office has to be an appropriate address, and Companies House says a PO box doesn't qualify.

Updated 24 Oct 2026 · 5 min read · By Rayhaan Moughal, Sidekick Accounting

The short answer to whether you can use a PO box as a registered office is no. Companies House says "you can no longer use a Royal Mail PO Box", and that includes equivalent services from other providers.

Most people who ask this want the same thing: to keep their home address off the public register. There are better ways to do that, and we'll cover them below.

What is an appropriate address for a registered office?

From 4 March 2024, every company has to have an "appropriate address" as its registered office at all times. Companies House sets two tests, and the address has to pass both.

A document addressed to the company and delivered by hand or by post should be expected to come to the attention of a person acting for the company.
Delivery there can be recorded by obtaining an acknowledgement of delivery.

A PO box fails because a sender can't hand a document to someone at a box and get a signature for it. The address also has to be a physical address in the same country the company is registered in. A Scottish company needs a Scottish address, for example.

The registered office rule, before and after

Before 4 March 2024Looser rulesA PO box could be used in some cases, as long as the full address of the physical building was also given.
4 March 2024Appropriate address rule startsEvery registered office has to be an appropriate address. PO boxes are out.
Since thenCompanies House can actIf it decides an address isn't appropriate, it can replace it with a default address and set a deadline.

Which addresses are allowed as a registered office?

Here's how the usual options stack up against the test.

Address type	Allowed?	Why
Royal Mail PO box	No	Fails the test, and Companies House names it specifically
Similar box services from other companies	No	Same reason
Your home	Yes, if it meets the test	It's public on the register
Your trading premises	Yes	Post reaches someone acting for the company
Accountant's or solicitor's office	Yes, with permission	Must meet every requirement
Registered office service	Yes	The provider receives and forwards your post

Our guide to using a registered office address service covers what to look for when choosing one.

Does this address meet the rules?

Is it a PO box or a similar mailbox service?

Yes: It doesn't qualify. Pick another address.

No: Go to the next question.

Is it a physical address in the same part of the UK as the company's registration?

Yes: Go to the next question.

No: It doesn't qualify. Use an address in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland to match the company.

Would a document delivered there reach someone acting for the company, with delivery recorded?

Yes: It should qualify. Companies House makes the final call.

No: It doesn't qualify. Ask the owner of the address, or use a registered office service.

What happens if Companies House decides your address isn't appropriate?

Companies House says that if it decides a registered office isn't an appropriate address, it will change it to a default address that it holds. The company then has 28 days to provide an appropriate address, together with evidence of a link to it.

If that doesn't happen, Companies House could start the process to strike the company off the register. Strike-off is the outcome to avoid, so it's worth acting well inside the 28 days.

If you're not sure whether your current registered office passes, check what the register shows today. Our free scan shows where your details appear across the filings.

Why people wanted a PO box in the first place

Almost always, it's privacy. A registered office goes on the public register, so using your home puts your address in front of anyone who searches, and search engines pick it up. A PO box looked like a neat way round that, and for a long time some people used one.

Here's what solves the privacy problem now.

A registered office service gives the company an address that isn't yours, and the provider handles the post.
Your accountant's or adviser's address works too, if they agree to it and it meets the test.
Trading premises you already use are the simplest answer if you have them.

Moving the registered office is only half of it. Your home address may still sit in older filings, such as the incorporation documents. Companies House lets you apply to remove it using form SR01, and we've written about how to deal with a home address used as a registered office. Our full guide to removing your home address covers the application itself, and the privacy changes guide explains the wider 2024 reforms.

If you've moved the office but your home is still visible in the old filings, we can set up a registered office and service address for you as part of your application. That way the new address and the removal happen together.

Questions

Can I use a PO box as my registered office address?

No. Companies House says you can no longer use a Royal Mail PO box as a registered office, and the same goes for similar services from other companies. The rule has applied since 4 March 2024.

What counts as an appropriate address for a registered office?

A document addressed to the company and delivered there by hand or by post should be expected to come to the attention of a person acting for the company. Delivery there also has to be capable of being recorded with an acknowledgement. The address must be a physical one in the same country the company is registered in.

What happens if Companies House decides my registered office isn't appropriate?

Companies House can move the company to a default address it holds. The company then has 28 days to give an appropriate address and evidence of a link to it. If that doesn't happen, Companies House could start the process to strike the company off the register.

Can I use my accountant's address as my registered office?

Yes, with their permission, as long as it meets the same appropriate address test. Companies House's own guidance names accountants and solicitors as options, along with registered office services.

Can my registered office be a different address from where I work?

Yes. The registered office is where official post is sent and doesn't have to be where the business trades. It does have to be in the same part of the UK as the company's registration, so an England and Wales company can't use a Scottish address.