The Difference Between a Registered Office and Corporate Office

If you're looking to learn about the difference between a registered office and a corporate office, you're in the right place. In this blog, we explain the difference between the two types of offices, whether you need a registered office for your business, and where you can find a registered office address.

What is a Corporate Office?

A corporate office, also commonly known as the corporate headquarters, is the main office of a corporation. The leaders of the corporation such as the CEO, supervisors, shareholders, corporate personnel, support staff as well as the majority of workers are based in corporate offices. Corporate offices are usually the hub of the company and often serve as the central location where top decisions are made.

They are the operational centre of the company where business activities, management, and administration take place.

A corporation might have other offices across the country or the world that report to the corporate office, however, these additional offices generally apply company policy and practices from the decisions made at the corporate office.

Find out the advantages of a private limited company.

What is a Registered Office?

A registered office is the legal headquarters or ‘head office’ and the physical office of the corporation. A registered office can also be known as a registered office address.

Registered offices are used to store your company's statutory registers for inspection, and act as your company's official address for receiving statutory mail and legal documents from Companies House, HMRC, and various government entities.

As your business address, your company’s registered office is the point of contact for anyone dealing with your business. 

The address of a registered office must be an actual address and not a PO Box. You can only use a PO Box address if you also provide the full address (including postcode) of the physical building.

If someone were to take legal action against a corporation, legal papers should be submitted to the registered office and not the corporate office. In most cases, employees of the corporation do not do business from the registered offices.

What are the main differences between a registered office and a corporate office?

• A registered office is mandatory, while a corporate office is not.
• A registered office deals with legal and statutory matters, while a corporate office handles day-to-day operations.
• Your registered office address is public and viewable on Companies House and must be publicly displayed on your business’ website and official documentation.
• A corporate office is usually a physical office space but registered offices don’t require business operations to occur onsite.

Benefits of having a registered office address

Besides being a requirement of the law in the UK, having a registered office address provides several benefits for businesses, both practical and strategic.

A dedicated business address projects a professional image, especially compared to using a home address. This instills trust in clients, partners, and investors, potentially leading to increased business opportunities.

A prestigious registered office address, especially in a desired location, can also be used as a marketing tool to attract clients and investors who value the association with a particular area or image.

When Do I Need a Registered Office?

Legally, all companies and partnerships that are incorporated in the UK are required to have a registered office address. You can have both a registered and a corporate office at the same address.

Where to Use Your Registered Address

While the primary purpose of a registered office address is to serve as the official legal point of contact, businesses can leverage it in various ways.

Businesses can use their registered address for marketing and corporate communications purposes, whether this is on their website, business cards or other promotional materials.

Your registered office address can be used as the official contact point in contracts, agreements and other legal documentation.

It’s important to remember that regulations and specific uses might vary depending on your location and business structure.

Can I Use My Home Address as a Registered Office?

Yes, you can use your home address as a registered office, however, it’s important to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of choosing to make your home address available for public view, as per the legal requirements.

Pros

• Using your home address can be cost-effective for businesses as they can save money on rent and utilities.
• Small corporations can manage their mail handling and paperwork more easily as they will be directly delivered to the specified home address.

Cons

• Your home address becomes part of the public record accessible to anyone through Companies House.
• Having your home address as your business address may not project a professional image, especially for larger businesses.
• If you’re a renter, rental agreements with your landlord might limit business activity from your home.
• You and your company may experience privacy concerns as clients, visitors, or unwanted inquiries might come to your doorstep.

Ultimately, it is not recommended that your registered office address be the same as your personal home address.

If you’d rather have your business operations take place remotely, your company could use a virtual office or engage with an address service provider. You can easily find a registered office address, with us here.

Can You Change Your Registered Office Address?

Yes, you can change your registered office address at any time. It is common for businesses to change structure, move around or even get sold to a third party. If you want to explore alternatives to your current registered office address, you can find many options to suit your needs here.

Using a Virtual Office as a Registered Office

Using a virtual office as a registered office is a convenient solution for many companies that can offer a variety of benefits including:

• providing the opportunity to establish a reputable corporate image
• allow you to keep home address details off the public record
• practical and cost-effective solution
• meet the ever-changing needs of a small business

In order to use a virtual office as a registered office, there are some address requirements that need to be met, these include:

• has the ability to be verified on the UK's Postcode Address File using Royal Mail's Postcode and Address Finder
• located in the same country, or jurisdiction, as company incorporation (for instance England & Wales, Wales only, Scotland, or Northern Ireland)
• a physical address that can receive mail and not a PO Box Note: A PO BOX can only be used if the full address including the postcode of the physical building is used.

Check out our Essential Tips on How To Choose an Office Space

If you decide to use a virtual office as your company's registered office, you are legally required to register the address with Companies House. Any statutory mail and legal documents from Companies House, HMRC, and various government entities will be delivered to the registered office with the address publicly available. Your registered address should also be included on your company stationary, such as emails, letters, your company's website and even advertising material.

To learn more about virtual offices and how they can benefit you, visit us here.