UK Registered Office Address for Overseas Founders

If you are based outside the United Kingdom and want to set up a UK limited company, one of the first practical questions is: what address should the company use?

Every UK limited company needs a registered office address. This is the company’s official address on the Companies House register. Companies House, HMRC and other official bodies use this address to send formal correspondence to the company.

For overseas founders, this address is not just an administrative detail. It affects privacy, compliance, official mail handling and how your company appears on public records.

What is a UK registered office address?

A UK registered office address is the official legal address of a company. It appears on the public Companies House register and is used for formal company correspondence.

It is different from a trading address. Your company may trade from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Europe, the Middle East or the United States. But if the company is incorporated in England and Wales, it still needs a registered office address in England or Wales.

Can an overseas founder use a non-UK address?

No. A UK company cannot use a China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore or US address as its registered office address.

The registered office address must be a physical address in the UK and must be in the same UK jurisdiction as the company’s incorporation. For example, a company incorporated in England and Wales must use an address in England or Wales.

This is why many overseas founders use a professional London registered office address.

Why a London registered office address is often used

London is internationally recognised and easy to explain to banks, clients, payment providers, suppliers and counterparties. For many overseas founders, a London company address gives the company a clearer UK presence.

But the value is not just the word “London”. The address must be properly monitored. Official letters from Companies House and HMRC should not sit unopened.

A good registered office address service should help official mail reach the company quickly and reliably.

Privacy: your registered office address is public

The company’s registered office address appears on the public Companies House register.

If you use a home address, it may be copied by search engines, commercial databases and third-party company information sites. Even if you later change the address, old filings or external records may still show it.

This is one reason overseas founders often choose a professional address instead of a personal or family address.

Registered office address vs director service address

A registered office address is the company’s address.

A director service address is the public correspondence address for a director. A PSC service address is the public correspondence address for a person with significant control.

Many founders protect the company address but forget the director or PSC address. That can still expose a personal residential address on Companies House.

If you are the founder, director, shareholder and PSC, you should review all three address points before incorporation:

the company registered office address;
the director service address;
the PSC service address.

Can you use a friend’s UK address?

Sometimes, but it is rarely ideal.

Your friend must give permission. The address must meet Companies House requirements. Your friend must also understand that official company letters may arrive there.

The risk is practical. Your friend may move, miss letters, forget to forward post, or become uncomfortable with their home address being linked to your company.

For a serious overseas company, a professional registered office address is usually cleaner and more stable.

What should overseas founders look for?

Before choosing a UK registered office address, check whether the service includes:

Companies House mail handling;
HMRC mail handling;
director service address support;
PSC service address support;
remote onboarding for overseas founders;
clear permission to use the address;
support in English and Chinese where needed.

The cheapest address is not always the safest address. A display-only address may look acceptable at incorporation but create problems later when official mail arrives.

How Ginkgo Advisory can assist

Ginkgo Advisory provides a London registered office address service for overseas founders who need a clear, compliant and professionally handled UK address arrangement.

Our service is suitable for founders based in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and other overseas jurisdictions who want to set up or maintain a UK limited company with a properly managed address.

We can help you understand the difference between a registered office address, director service address and PSC service address, so that your Companies House record is set up correctly from the beginning.

Conclusion

A UK registered office address is not just a line on an incorporation form. It is the company’s official public address and a key part of ongoing compliance.

For overseas founders, the right address arrangement should do three things: satisfy Companies House requirements, protect personal privacy and ensure official mail is properly handled.

If you are setting up a UK company from overseas, address planning should come before incorporation — not after.