All you need to know about tax address in the UK

If you have read all our articles, you may still have a few questions left unanswered. In this new article we explain to you all you need to know about tax address in the UK.

For example, what a UK tax address is, requirements, how to change it if necessary and other interesting options.

What is a registered tax address in the UK?

The registered tax or billing address is the legal address where your company will be registered at the Companies House. It is the address where you will receive all official postal mail, such as UK government communications, letters from His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), legal notices and administrative notices.

The billing address does not have to be the same as your business address or where you work on a day-to-day basis. In fact, it is quite common to use third party addresses to maintain a high level of privacy. But it must be a valid tax address.

Legal requirements for registering a tax address in the UK

To consider a tax address valid, it has to meet a number of requirements. For example, it must be located in any of the countries that are part of the UK.

PO Boxes are not accepted, so you must have an actual physical address where you can collect your mail. Whatever fiscal address you notify, make sure it is real and operational. The last thing we want is for you to be unaware of official notifications with the consequences that this could have.

Personal address vs tax address

It is possible to provide your personal address as your company’s tax address. However, it is important to remember that this address will be in the public domain, so it will be available to anyone who wants to check it on the Companies House website. It will be up to you to decide.

That is the reason why we propose two interesting options as alternatives. The first is to use the address of your manager or accountant. This way you can be sure that your mail is in good hands.

Another attractive option is virtual office services with mail forwarding. For a price of around £10 per month, this intermediary service prevents your address from being easily traceable.

Notifying a change

If at any time you need to change your company’s UK tax address, it is a process you must know. You will need to go to the Companies House website and complete the AD01 form.

Don’t forget to update the new address with the HMRC, your bank, customers and suppliers. In less than 24 hours the change of address will appear modified.

Incorrect tax address

An incorrect tax address can lead to problems, some of them serious. In the case of not receiving important notifications, you may leave obligations or payments unfulfilled. This could result in penalties of all kinds.

Another consequence is that Companies House may terminate your business or striking off your company if it finds out that your tax address is not valid.

Tax address vs. commercial address

It is important to be clear about the difference between these two types of address. The tax address is the one where the authorities can notify you of official communications. However, the business address is the one where you carry out your commercial activity, working and serving customers.

And, if you are wondering, the answer is yes, both addresses can be the same. It is up to you.

What about the director's address?

When registering a company, you must also indicate a ‘service address’ for each director. This is also public but does not have to be the personal address. You can use the same fiscal address or any other address that is operational.

Conclusion: the tax address is key for your UK business

Choosing the right UK tax address allows you to maintain your privacy, comply with the law and project a professional image from day one. Whether it’s a real office, your agency or a virtual service, make sure it’s a valid and accessible address.

Also, being clear about the difference between a tax and business address is useful for both you and your future clients or partners.