Service address for company directors

When you register a limited company or limited liability partnership, you must include a service address for each director, secretary, subscriber (shareholder/guarantor), person with significant control (PSC), and LLP member. Such an address will serve as the individual’s statutory contact address for the delivery of official correspondence and legal notices from Companies House, HMRC, the courts, and other government agencies.

Keep reading this article to find out how a service address works and how you can easily obtain one.

What is a service address: explanation

A service address in the UK is the address that each director, subscriber (guarantor or shareholder), secretary (if any), PSC (person with significant control), and LLP member of a new company put down when incorporating with Companies House.

It is important to know that a service address can be a residential address and located anywhere in the world, unlike the registered office address.

However, the Companies House makes all information of any limited company incorporated with it public, both in their register and online on their website. As such, when you use your residential address as your service address, it becomes public knowledge. Bye-bye to privacy.

Can something be done to prevent that though? Keep reading to find out…

Director’s address and Service address: is it the same?

The director’s address is the same as the service address. It can be used by any of the directors, secretaries, subscribers (shareholder/guarantor), persons with significant control (PSC), or LLP members. It is the address to which the courts, HMRC, Companies House, and any other governmental agency would send official documents.

Why is the service address available to the public?

A service address is made available to the public because it is part of the information of any company which the Companies House is legally required to publicise.

It is possible to ask the Companies House to keep some of your details from the public register but you will have to officially make a request regarding that. You should know that making such a request would require a police report for security reasons.

What other information about my company can be made public?

Information concerning all companies incorporated with the Companies House that can legally be made public includes:

• Registered company name.
• Company registration number (CRN).
• Nature of business activities (SIC codes).
• Statement of capital (details of issued shares).
• Type, status, and date of incorporation of the company
• Scanned copy of the certificate of incorporation and all filings at Companies House, which includes annual accounts, confirmation statements, mortgage, new appointments, and any official changes such as company name, director’s details, or registered office address
• Registered office address (current and past)
• Single Alternative Inspection Location (SAIL address)
• Details of current and resigned directors, subscribers, members, secretaries, and persons with significant control (PSCs). Such details include – 
  - Title and full name
  - Service address
  - Date of appointment
  - Month and year of birth
  - Occupation
  - Nationality, state, and country of residence
  - All current and previous appointments (for directors)
  - The amount guaranteed and the class of guarantor (for guarantors)
  - Nature of control (for PSCs) such as the number of shares owned, voting rights, and level of authority over the company.
• Articles and memorandum of association.
• Filing deadlines for next company accounts and confirmation statement.
• Information on insolvencies, late filings, and penalties.

How to choose a service address?

The first obvious option of a good service address is the company’s official address. This is the company’s registered office address.

The other option is to opt for a virtual office address provider. How does this work?

The virtual office address is an address assigned to you by a service provider whose duty is to receive all your official mails and process them for you. This processing can include sending you the scanned copy of unopened mails and packages and forwarding them (if you wish) to an address of your choice. Cool, right?

Another important benefit of opting for a virtual service address is that the addresses are official and located in prestigious areas of the UK, like London, which gives you a professional outlook. Also, if you do not currently reside in the UK, purchasing a UK service address is a good option for you. It beats renting office space you wouldn’t use often, hands down.

What are the requirements for a director’s service address?

Unlike the registered office address which must be located in the UK, your service address can be located anywhere in the world.

Another requirement is that the service address cannot be a PO box. Hence, it could be the street address of your Post Office, a physical company address, or a virtual office address.

Conclusion

The importance of using a service address when incorporating with Companies House lies in keeping your residential address private. You will also be able to present yourself professionally to your clients when you use an address in a prestigious business area.