united-kingdom business
Is it legal for me to use a PO Box as the registered address for a Limited company?
<p>I've been wondering what the legality of using a PO box as a registered address for a limited company is.</p>

<p>I've done some research and the <a href="https://www.royalmail.com/business/services/receiving/safety/po-box" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Royal Mail site</a> seems to imply that it is legal for me to use a PO box in that matter. However, various other resources make claims that you cannot do it. For example, <a href="https://www.smallfirmsservices.com/can-i-use-po-box-registered-address/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Small Firms Services</a> states the following:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The general rule is that you cannot use a PO Box as a company’s registered office. It is important that a company’s official address is real and can be found by a member of the general public.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It later further states that it can be done, however the conditions to this are that the PO box must have a full address including: house number and road name.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The only time a PO Box address can be used is when a full address including house number and road name is also supplied. For example PO Box 123, 5 The High Street, London. This implies that within a physical address there is a physical Post Office Box service provider that can accept mail on behalf of the company.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Despite this post, I'm still unsure on the legality behind this, they do not actually state what law it breaks and I would like a more concrete answer on this matter.</p>

<h2>Mailing address: yes, Registered Office: no</h2>

<p>The Company’s Act 2006 requires a company to have a registered office (<a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/section/86" rel="nofollow noreferrer">s86</a>). The purpose of a registered office is to allow personal delivery of legal documents (e.g. summonses, subpoenas) to the company.</p>

<p>It does not have to be the location from which the company actually operates, indeed, there may be several of these but only one registered office. Many companies use their accountant’s office as their registered office.</p>
