AD02 Form UK: Register Alternative Inspection Location
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Part ofCompanies House Forms UK
If your company keeps its statutory records somewhere other than its registered office, you need to tell Companies House where. Form AD02 is how you do that. It registers what is known as a single alternative inspection location, often shortened to SAIL, which is the address where members of the public, shareholders, and creditors can go to inspect certain company records.
Getting the filing right matters because the SAIL address becomes part of the public record, and any registers you move there must actually be available for inspection at that location. This page walks through what the form does, when to use it, how to complete it, and the practical points directors often miss.
If you want to talk through your situation before filing, you can book a call with an experienced legal adviser at the end.
What this document is
Form AD02 is the Companies House filing used to register a single alternative inspection location for a company incorporated in England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. By default, company records must be kept available for inspection at the registered office.
The Companies Act 2006 allows a company to nominate one other UK address, within the same part of the UK as the registered office, where some or all of those records can instead be inspected. That nominated address is the SAIL.
A company can only have one SAIL at any given time. Once AD02 is filed and accepted, the company can then use form AD03 to move specific registers to the SAIL, and form AD04 to move them back. The SAIL address appears on the public register, so it should be a location that is genuinely accessible during normal business hours.
Filing AD02 does not change the registered office, and correspondence from Companies House will still go to the registered office address.
How to use this document
- Check whether you actually need a SAIL. Many small companies never need one because their registers live at the registered office already. A SAIL tends to make sense where the registered office is a service address or accountant's office and the real records are held elsewhere, such as at a trading premises or a company secretary's office.
- Pick a suitable address in the correct jurisdiction. The SAIL must be in the same part of the UK as the registered office. An English or Welsh company cannot nominate a Scottish address, and vice versa. The address should be one where staff can genuinely produce records for inspection during business hours, not a PO box or purely virtual address.
- Complete form AD02 with the company details. You will need the company name, company number, and the proposed SAIL address. The form itself is short. Double-check the company number against the Companies House register, as a single wrong digit can cause the filing to be rejected.
- Sign and submit the form. AD02 can be filed on paper by post to Companies House, or electronically through the Companies House online filing service or software integration. Electronic filing is faster and gives you a quicker confirmation. Keep a copy of what you submit for the company's own records.
- File AD03 to move the actual registers. Registering the SAIL does not, by itself, move any records there. You still need to file AD03 listing which specific registers, such as the register of members or the register of directors, are being kept at the SAIL rather than the registered office. Without AD03, the records are still legally required to be at the registered office.
Common questions
Q What is a SAIL address?
A SAIL, or single alternative inspection location, is a UK address other than the registered office where a company keeps certain statutory records available for inspection. It is registered with Companies House using form AD02. A company can have only one SAIL in place at any time, and it must be in the same part of the UK as the registered office.
Q Which records can be kept at a SAIL?
The Companies Act 2006 allows specific registers and documents to be held at the SAIL instead of the registered office. These typically include the register of members, the register of directors, the register of directors' residential addresses, the register of secretaries, the register of people with significant control, and records of certain resolutions and meetings. Form AD03 is used to specify which records are moved.
Q Is there a filing fee for AD02?
Companies House publishes its fee schedule on gov.uk, and filing fees can change. Check the current position on gov.uk before submitting to confirm whether a fee applies to your filing and the accepted payment methods. Fees for paper and online submissions may differ.
Q Does filing AD02 change my registered office?
No. The registered office remains the company's official address for receiving legal correspondence and Companies House notices. The SAIL is an additional inspection address, not a replacement. If you want to change the registered office itself, that is a separate filing using form AD01.
Q Can the SAIL be my home address?
Legally a SAIL can be a residential address, but it becomes part of the public record and must be open for inspection during business hours. Most people prefer not to use their home for that reason. A trading address or professional office is usually more practical.
Q How do I remove or change the SAIL?
To change the SAIL to a different address, file a fresh AD02 with the new address details. To move records back to the registered office and effectively end the use of the SAIL, file AD04 for each register concerned. Keep in mind the SAIL registration itself remains on record until updated.
Q What happens if I do not keep records available at the SAIL?
Failing to make statutory registers available for inspection at the address you have nominated can be a criminal offence for the company and its officers under the Companies Act 2006. If you register a SAIL, you need to be confident the records are genuinely held there and accessible during normal hours, otherwise leave them at the registered office.
Sources
This guide is based on primary UK law and official guidance.
- Guidance · UK GovCompanies House form AD02 (gov.uk)gov.uk
- LegislationCompanies Act 2006legislation.gov.uk
- Guidance · Companies HouseCompanies House filing guidancegov.uk
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.