If Companies House decides your registered office address is not compliant, they can reassign it to a default address and begin strike-off proceedings under the Companies Act 2006 if you do not correct the problem quickly. Here is what triggers non compliance, what it means for your company, and how to resolve it.
Key Takeaways
A registered office address becomes non-compliant when it fails the “appropriate address” test introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 – for example, using a Royal Mail PO Box, listing a false address, or registering in the wrong UK jurisdiction.
Companies House can unilaterally change your company’s registered office to a default address held by the registrar and give you 28 days to file form AD01 with a compliant address.
If the company fails to provide a new registered office address within that window, the registrar can start strike-off under section 1000 of the Companies Act 2006, ultimately dissolving the company.
Fixing the issue usually means choosing an appropriate address in the same country as incorporation and filing AD01 online – changes are typically processed within 24 hours.
This article covers only the consequences and remedy for a non-compliant registered office. For the distinction between registered offices and director service addresses, or for guidance on vetting a provider, see our dedicated articles on those topics.
When is a registered office address “not compliant” with Companies House rules?
Since 4 March 2024, every UK limited company must maintain an appropriate registered office address at all times. Significant changes in regulations for registered office addresses were introduced in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, and new rules now give Companies House expanded powers to enforce them. If your address does not meet the legal requirements, it is considered not compliant.
Your company’s registered office must be in the same UK jurisdiction – England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland – where the company was incorporated. You cannot, for example, register an English company with a Scottish address.
The appropriate address test requires that:
Documents sent by post or by hand can be expected to reach a person acting on behalf of the company at that physical location.
Delivery must be capable of being recorded by an acknowledgement of delivery.
The registered office address must be publicly visible on the Companies House register.
A Royal Mail PO Box or similar mail-drop is no longer acceptable as a registered office address under the new requirements. The address must be a physical address – registered office addresses must be physical locations in England or Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland.
An address becomes non-compliant if Companies House has reason to believe it is false, post cannot be delivered there, or it is an obviously inappropriate address – for example, a location that denies any connection with the company.
You can use a commercial property, home address, accountant’s office, or a compliant registered office service as long as the address meets the appropriate address criteria. Third-party agents can provide compliant registered office addresses, but if you rely on a provider, confirm they handle statutory mail properly. For deeper guidance on provider risks, see our article on unregistered provider risk.
How Companies House identifies and responds to a non-compliant registered office
Companies House actively monitors the register and can act where it believes a company’s registered office address does not meet the new regulations. Between March 2024 and March 2025, the registrar removed false or misleading information from roughly 100,400 companies, including inaccurate information about office address records.
Typical triggers include post repeatedly returned undelivered, complaints from occupiers that the company has no right to use the address, visible use of a PO Box after March 2024, or a mismatch between the company’s jurisdiction and the address on the public register.
Under the Registered Office Address (Rectification of Register) Regulations 2024, Companies House may change a non-compliant address to a default address – a special address controlled by the registrar in the relevant UK country. The default address held by Companies House then appears on the register as the company’s registered office from the date of the change.
Companies House will normally contact the company via the default address and the registered email address, explaining why the existing address is considered non-compliant and giving a 28-day compliance period to file a new appropriate address or provide evidence the current one is valid.
If the company fails to respond, the registrar can begin strike-off action under section 1000 of the Companies Act 2006, with notices published in The Gazette and a minimum two-month objection window before dissolution.
Consequences of using a non-compliant or inappropriate registered office address
Ignoring a non-compliant registered office address can escalate from an administrative headache to the company ceasing to exist. Companies risk being struck off the register for non compliance, and the process moves faster than most directors expect.
Once a default address is applied, companies have 28 days to provide a compliant address. If that window closes without action:
The registrar publishes a strike-off intention in The Gazette.
After a minimum two-month objection period, a second notice confirms dissolution.
The company is removed from the Companies House register entirely.
When a company is struck off, it loses its legal identity. Bank accounts are frozen, contracts may be affected, and remaining assets pass to the Crown as bona vacantia. Failure to comply can lead to companies being struck off the register with serious consequences for directors and shareholders alike.
Under Regulation 21 of the 2024 Regulations, both the company and its officers face criminal liability if they do not change from the default address to an appropriate address within the compliance period. Failure to update from a PO Box can lead to serious penalties and potential director disqualification.
Even before strike-off, practical risks are significant. Missing statutory mail from Companies House, HMRC, or the courts means missed filing deadlines, late filing penalties on your confirmation statement, and reputational damage visible to lenders, suppliers, and counterparties who check the public register.
How to fix a non-compliant registered office (AD01: step-by-step remedy)
In most cases, fixing a non-compliant registered office is straightforward. You must file an AD01 form to change your address. Choose a compliant address and submit the form as quickly as possible – especially if the 28-day clock is already running.
Your new registered office address must meet these criteria:
Located in the same country as the company’s incorporation (England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland).
A physical location – no PO Box or similar services that are no longer acceptable.
Capable of receiving and acknowledging delivery of documents on behalf of the company.
You can use a home address, commercial property, agent’s address, or a compliant address service, provided someone will handle the post. Companies must ensure their registered office address meets legal requirements before filing. For a broader look at the differences between a registered office and a director’s service address, see our dedicated comparison article.
The online filing process is simple:
Sign in to Companies House WebFiling.
Select form AD01 (Change of registered office address).
Enter the new address including postcode.
Confirm the jurisdiction matches your company’s incorporation.
Submit – there is no filing fee.
Changes to your registered address are typically processed within 24 hours on working days. Once accepted, the new address appears on the public register and is used for all future statutory correspondence.
If Companies House has already moved you to a default address, you have 28 days to update your address after a default change. If the registrar has started strike-off but not completed it, a timely, compliant AD01 plus supporting evidence may still prevent dissolution. Companies must inform stakeholders of any changes to their registered office address promptly.
Preventing future problems with your company’s registered office
Prevention is simpler than reversing a default address or fighting a strike-off. Keeping your company’s registered office address compliant requires minimal effort but real attention.
Review your current provider – if you use sold registered office services or similar services – against the Companies House appropriate address criteria. Can documents be delivered and acknowledged? Is general business post forwarded promptly, not just court documents? Some virtual office providers or address service arrangements that worked before March 2024 may no longer qualify under Companies House rules.
Set an annual compliance calendar reminder. Every time the business moves premises or changes provider, confirm the register still shows the correct address and file an AD01 where needed. Stay informed about new requirements by checking GOV.UK guidance periodically.
All companies must have a monitored registered email address with Companies House, introduced alongside the new rules in March 2024. Companies must acknowledge receipt of documents at their registered office – monitor both channels to stay compliant and avoid missing critical correspondence.
If you rely on a third-party provider for your registered address, confirm they meet every element of the appropriate address test. For a deeper look at the risks of informal or unregulated providers, see our article on unregistered provider risk.
→ See Is a Virtual Office Legal for a UK Limited Company? — for the full appropriate-address test
FAQs: Non-compliant registered office addresses
Below are concise answers to common questions about non-compliant registered office addresses and what to do about them.
Can Companies House strike off my company just for having a bad registered office address?
Yes. Under section 1000 of the Companies Act 2006, failing to maintain an appropriate registered office address is a standalone ground for strike-off. Once a default address has been applied and the company fails to correct it within 28 days, the registrar can begin the process. However, strike-off involves published notices and a minimum two-month objection period – it is not an instant, same-day action.
What is a Companies House default address and does it mean I’ve done something wrong?
A default address is a special address controlled by Companies House in each UK jurisdiction. The registrar applies it when your current registered office is inappropriate or cannot be validated. Its appearance on the public register is a warning flag, not proof of misconduct. It does mean your registered office address is not compliant and must be corrected quickly by filing an AD01 with a new appropriate address.
Can I appeal if Companies House says my registered office is inappropriate?
There is no formal appeal form. You can respond to Companies House with evidence that you are entitled to use the address and that it satisfies the appropriate address test – for example, written consent from the occupier and proof of mail handling. If the registrar remains unsatisfied, it is usually faster and safer to file an AD01 with a different, clearly compliant address than to contest the decision.
What if I discover my company has been using a PO Box as the registered office since before March 2024?
A PO Box is no longer acceptable as a registered office address under the new regulations that took effect in March 2024. File an AD01 immediately to move to a physical, appropriate address. Voluntary correction demonstrates good standing and cooperation, and it may prevent more serious enforcement action. Only GOV.UK and Companies House guidance are the final authority on how these powers are exercised.
Does fixing my registered office address also fix problems with a director’s service address?
No. The registered office and director’s service address are separate legal concepts governed by different rules. Changing one does not automatically update the other on the Companies House register. For a full explanation, see our article on registered office vs. director’s service address.
