Who needs a director service address?
Every director of a UK limited company must have one: it is filed when the director is appointed and stays on the public record for as long as they hold the post, and afterwards in the company's filing history. Directors who would otherwise give their home address are the main buyers — a founder working from home, a director of several companies, anyone who does not want a private address published next to their name.
Registered office vs director service address
| Registered office | Director service address |
|---|
| Belongs to | The company | Each director personally |
| Filed | At incorporation, changed on form AD01 | On appointment, changed on form CH01 |
| Public? | Yes, on the register | Yes, on the register |
| Home address instead | Becomes public | Stays on the private register |
Companies House says plainly that the service address "can be the same as the registered office address of the company, or it can be somewhere different". The usual arrangement is one building for both: the operator that holds the registered office address service receives the director's mail too. Ask whether director mail is part of the package or a separate fee — among the 465 address listings here both models exist.
What Companies House requires of directors
- A service address for the public register and a usual residential address for the private one; Companies House passes the home address only to credit reference agencies and specified public authorities such as the police.
- Identity verification: directors must verify their identity with Companies House — a service address does not replace that step.
- Changes are filed with Companies House; the record changes once Companies House has registered the filing, so keep collecting mail at the old address until then.
- Source: gov.uk — your personal information on the Companies House register.
How much it costs
A director service address is priced by the operator of the building, usually alongside the registered office. The cheapest confirmed business address listing in the catalogue is £52 a month, and the table above shows the entry rate in the largest cities. For the rules that apply to the company's own address, read Registered office address UK: the rules since March 2024.
