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AD03 Form UK: Move Records to SAIL 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
If your company keeps its statutory registers and other records somewhere other than the registered office, Companies House needs to know about it. Form AD03 is the filing that tells the registrar you are moving some or all of your company records to a Single Alternative Inspection Location, usually shortened to SAIL. It is a straightforward administrative filing, but getting the detail right matters because members of the public and shareholders rely on the public record to know where they can inspect your registers. This page walks through what the AD03 is for, who can file it, what information you need to hand, and the practical points that often trip companies up. I have also pulled together answers to the questions directors and company secretaries most commonly ask when they are setting up a SAIL for the first time.

What this document is

A Single Alternative Inspection Location is exactly what the name suggests: one additional address, in the same part of the UK as the company's registered office, where specified statutory records can be kept and inspected. A company can only have one SAIL at any time, and it must sit in the same jurisdiction as the registered office, so an England and Wales company cannot nominate a SAIL in Scotland.

Form AD03 does two related jobs. It notifies Companies House of the SAIL address itself, and it tells the registrar which categories of record are being moved there from the registered office. Once accepted, the SAIL and the list of records held there appear on the public register, so anyone exercising a right of inspection knows where to turn up.

The underlying authority for SAIL addresses sits across a number of provisions in the Companies Act 2006, covering registers of members, directors, secretaries, charges, people with significant control, debenture holders, and various other records the company is required to maintain.

How to use this document

  1. Confirm the SAIL address is suitable. The address must be a real physical location in the same UK jurisdiction as your registered office, where records can actually be inspected during working hours. A PO Box on its own will not do. Many companies use their accountant's or solicitor's office, or a service address provided by a company formation agent.
  2. Decide which records are moving. You do not have to move every record to the SAIL. You can move some and leave others at the registered office. Make a clear list before filing, because the form asks you to tick which categories of register or record will be held at the SAIL. Common choices include the register of members, the register of directors, and the PSC register.
  3. Complete form AD03. Enter the company name and number, the full SAIL address, and tick the relevant boxes for each record type. The form can be filed on paper or through the Companies House online filing service, which is usually faster and gives you an immediate submission receipt.
  4. Submit to Companies House. There is no filing fee for AD03 at the time of writing, but check gov.uk for the current position before you file. If you are filing on paper, send it to the Companies House office for the jurisdiction in which your company is registered.
  5. Update your internal records and signage. Once the filing is accepted, make sure the records listed are physically at the SAIL address and available for inspection. Tell your directors, company secretary, and anyone who handles inspection requests so they do not direct visitors to the wrong place.

Common questions

If you're dealing with this kind of situation, speak to an experienced legal adviser who can walk you through it — from £89.

Common questions

Q Can my company have more than one SAIL address?
No. The legislation allows only one Single Alternative Inspection Location at any given time. You can change the SAIL later by filing a further AD03, or close it and move records back to the registered office using form AD04, but you cannot split records across multiple alternative addresses. This keeps things simple for anyone exercising their right to inspect the registers.
Q Does the SAIL address have to be in the same country as the registered office?
Yes. A company registered in England and Wales must have its SAIL in England or Wales. A Scottish company needs a Scottish SAIL, and a Northern Ireland company needs one in Northern Ireland. This is a strict requirement under the Companies Act 2006, and Companies House will reject filings that try to nominate a SAIL in a different jurisdiction.
Q Which company records can I keep at a SAIL address?
The records that can be moved include the register of members, the register of directors, the register of secretaries, the register of directors' residential addresses, the register of people with significant control, the register of charges, copies of directors' service contracts, and certain other statutory documents. The AD03 form lists the categories. Some records must remain accessible for inspection during normal business hours.
Q How long does it take for the SAIL filing to take effect?
Online filings through Companies House are usually processed within a day or two, sometimes the same day. Paper filings take longer. The change is effective once Companies House registers it and updates the public record. Until then, the records should remain at the registered office, so plan the physical move of documents to align with the filing timeline.
Q Do I need to tell HMRC or anyone else about the SAIL?
No separate notification is needed for HMRC, because the SAIL relates to inspection of statutory registers rather than your tax or trading address. However, you should update your own internal procedures, inform your accountant or company secretary, and make sure any inspection requests from members or the public are handled at the right location.
Q What happens if someone turns up to inspect records at the wrong address?
Once the SAIL is on the public register, people exercising inspection rights are entitled to expect the records to be at the address shown. Directing them to the wrong place, or failing to make the records available during normal business hours, can amount to a breach of the company's duties under the Companies Act and may attract penalties. Keep the register accessible and staff aware.
Q Can I change or close the SAIL later?
Yes. To change the SAIL to a different address, file a new AD03 with the new details. To close the SAIL entirely and bring all records back to the registered office, file form AD04. You can also change which specific records are held at the SAIL by filing form AD02 (to move records to SAIL) or AD04 equivalents as appropriate.
If you're dealing with this kind of situation, speak to an experienced legal adviser who can walk you through it — from £89.

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.