Quick answer (2-min read)
A PO Box alone is not acceptable as your registered office at Companies House.
You must provide a physical, deliverable street address in the same UK jurisdiction as your company (England & Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland).
You can use a virtual office provider if it gives you a real street address (not merely “PO Box”).
BetaOffice provides a Central London registered office and a separate director service address for privacy—plus AI-sorted mail so you only forward what matters.
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Why a PO Box doesn’t work as a registered office
- Companies House needs a serviceable address where official notices can be delivered.
- A PO Box fails to indicate premises or jurisdiction clearly enough.
- Bailiff/legal service rules expect a physical location that is staffed/managed for receipt.
Acceptable uses of PO Boxes (limited)
- General correspondence for marketing or non-statutory mail.
- Certain HMRC interactions can use different correspondence addresses.
- But your registered office (public, legal) must still be a real UK street address.
Best practice set-up (privacy + credibility)
- Registered office: credible London street address (public at Companies House).
- Director service address: a second public address for directors (keeps home off the register).
- Mail handling: scanning with summaries and categories; forward only the important items.
With this setup, you’re compliant, discoverable, and private.
Checklist
- Public registered office is a real UK address (not PO Box)
- Jurisdiction matches company (E&W / Scotland / NI)
- Director service address is separate from home
- Mail scanning + forwarding in place
- Website, invoices and email footer show the correct details
Mini-FAQ
Can I use a PO Box if I also list a street address somewhere?
Only if the registered office shown at Companies House is the street address. You can still use a PO Box for general mail.
Can I register in London but work remotely?
Yes—if your registered office is a valid London street address capable of receiving mail.
What about service of legal documents?
They must be deliverable to your registered office; that’s why a PO Box isn’t sufficient.
Ready in minutes: Central London registered office + director service address + AI mail.
Get started.
