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AD01 Form UK: Change Registered Office Address

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Part ofCompanies House Forms UK

Written by Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)
Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice.
Updated June 2026 · England & Wales
Every UK limited company needs an official address on the public register, and that address is where Companies House and HMRC will send statutory post. When you move premises, switch to a service address provider, or simply want your official contact point to sit somewhere more practical, the form you need is the AD01. It is a short filing, but getting it wrong can mean missed correspondence, penalties, or even strike-off warnings going to the wrong place. On this page I'll walk you through what the AD01 actually does, when the change takes legal effect, and the practical housekeeping that follows. If you want to talk it through with an experienced legal adviser before you file, there's a call option at the bottom.

What this document is

The AD01 is the Companies House form used by a UK limited company to notify the registrar of a change to its registered office address. Every company incorporated in England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland must maintain a registered office in the same jurisdiction as its incorporation, and that address appears on the public register.

You cannot, for example, move a company registered in England and Wales to a Scottish address using AD01. The registered office is the official point of service for legal documents, tax correspondence, and statutory notices, so it matters that it is somewhere post will actually be read.

The form can be filed on paper or, more commonly, online through the Companies House WebFiling service. Filing is free. The change does not take legal effect on the date you submit the form: it becomes effective once Companies House has registered it, and for the 14 days following, documents can still validly be served at the old address. That transitional window catches a lot of people out.

How to use this document

  1. Confirm the directors agree to the change. Changing the registered office is a board decision in most companies, so record it in a board minute or written resolution before filing. Check your articles for any unusual restrictions, and make sure the proposed new address is in the same UK jurisdiction as the company's incorporation, otherwise the filing will be rejected.
  2. Check you have permission to use the new address. If you're using a service address provider, an accountant's office, or a business centre, make sure they have agreed in writing to accept statutory post on your behalf. Using an address without permission is a common cause of undelivered Companies House post and can lead to compliance problems further down the line.
  3. File the AD01 with Companies House. The quickest route is online through WebFiling or the Companies House service, which usually processes the change within 24 hours. Paper filings take longer. You'll need your company number and authentication code for online submission. There is no fee for filing an AD01 at the time of writing, but check gov.uk for the current position.
  4. Wait for registration and keep the old address live for 14 days. The change is only legally effective once Companies House registers it. For 14 days after registration, documents served at the previous address are still considered validly served, so arrange mail forwarding or monitoring during that window to avoid missing anything important.
  5. Update everywhere the old address appears. This includes your website, letterheads, invoices, email footers, contracts, bank records, HMRC, your business insurer, and any regulators you're registered with. Companies are legally required to display the registered office on business stationery and websites, so this is not optional housekeeping.

Common questions

Q How long does it take for an AD01 to be processed?
Online filings through Companies House WebFiling are typically registered within 24 hours, and often much faster during working hours. Paper filings take considerably longer because they have to be checked and keyed in manually. The change is only legally effective once Companies House has registered it, not on the date you submit the form, so plan any address-dependent activity around that.
Q Is there a fee to file form AD01?
At the time of writing there is no Companies House fee for filing an AD01, whether online or on paper. Fee structures do change from time to time, so it's worth checking gov.uk for the current position before you file. If a third party is charging you to submit the form, that's their service fee rather than a government charge.
Q Can I change the registered office to a different part of the UK?
No. A company's registered office must remain in the same UK jurisdiction as the one it was incorporated in. A company registered in England and Wales must keep its registered office in England or Wales, a Scottish company in Scotland, and a Northern Irish company in Northern Ireland. Moving across jurisdictions is not possible through AD01 or otherwise.
Q Can I use my home address as the registered office?
Yes, but be aware that the registered office is public information and will appear on the Companies House register, which is freely searchable online. Many directors prefer to use a service address or their accountant's address for privacy reasons. Whatever you choose, it must be a real physical address capable of receiving post, not a PO Box on its own.
Q What happens if post is sent to my old address after I've moved?
For 14 days after Companies House registers the change, documents served at your previous registered office are still considered validly served on the company. After that window closes, the new address is the only valid one. Arrange mail forwarding or keep someone checking the old address during the transition to avoid missing tax letters, claim forms, or statutory notices.
Q Do I need to tell HMRC separately about the change?
Yes. Filing the AD01 notifies Companies House, but HMRC is a separate government department and does not automatically receive the update for all tax purposes. You should update your address with HMRC directly for corporation tax, PAYE, and VAT as applicable. Your bank, insurers, and any regulators you deal with will also need to be told.
Q Can a director file the AD01, or does it need to be a company secretary?
Either can file it. Any director, the company secretary (if appointed), or an authorised agent such as an accountant or formation agent can submit the form on the company's behalf. For online filing through WebFiling, whoever submits it will need the company's authentication code, which is the six-character code Companies House issues to each company.

Sources

This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.

Brad Askew, Solicitor (non-practising)

Written & reviewed by

Brad Askew Solicitor (non-practising)

Brad is on the roll of solicitors of England & Wales but does not hold a practising certificate and does not provide legal advice. LegalDocuments.co.uk is not a law firm and does not provide regulated legal advice.

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Legal disclaimer
This article is for general information only. It is a tool to help you find your way — not legal advice, and not a substitute for speaking to a qualified adviser about your situation.