Quick answer
Every UK limited company needs a registered office that is a physical address in the UK, in the same part of the UK where the company is registered. It must be an appropriate address where post reaches someone acting for the company and delivery can be confirmed, so a PO Box or a Pakistani address cannot be used. Directors can live in Pakistan, but they must still verify their identity with Companies House.
The address is usually the first stumbling block.
What makes an address acceptable?
GOV.UK says the registered office must be a physical address in the UK and in the same country the company is registered in, so a company registered in England and Wales needs an address there. Section 86 of the Companies Act 2006 requires an appropriate address at all times: documents delivered by hand or post should come to the attention of someone acting for the company, and delivery must be capable of being acknowledged.
Can you use a PO Box or a mail forwarding service?
No PO Box. GOV.UK says you can no longer use a Royal Mail PO Box, or similar services from other companies, as a registered office. You can use an accountant's, solicitor's or agent's address with their permission, but that address must meet the same rules. The address must be in place before you register the company.
What happens if the address fails?
Companies House guidance says it may move the company to a default address held at Companies House. The company then has 28 days to provide an appropriate address with evidence, or Companies House can start striking it off. Failing to keep an appropriate address is also an offence by the company and its officers in default.
Which details become public?
The registered office address is published on the online register, which is why founders avoid using a home address. Directors also give a service address, which is public, and a usual residential address, which Companies House keeps private. Since the company must also give a registered email address, check it often: Companies House says it will not publish it but may use it to contact you.
Do directors in Pakistan need identity checks?
Yes. From 18 November 2025, identity verification is a legal requirement. GOV.UK says that date is not a deadline; it starts a 12-month transition so directors and people with significant control (PSCs) can verify by their own due dates. Existing directors must provide their Companies House personal code as part of the company’s next confirmation statement after 18 November 2025. Each company’s date is different, because it follows that company’s confirmation statement timetable, and Companies House will not accept the statement until every director has verified. If you are a director of more than one company, you need to do this for each one.
PSCs must also verify and provide their personal code, but the 14-day window depends on the role. If you are both a director and a PSC of the same company, you provide the code as a director on the confirmation statement and again as a PSC within 14 days starting the day after the confirmation statement date. If you are a PSC but not a director, you must provide it within the first 14 days of your birth month. You can check your dates on the Companies House register. Due dates fall across that 12-month transition, through to around 18 November 2026, depending on the company and the role.
GOV.UK says you can verify online through GOV.UK One Login with a biometric passport from any country, or ask an Authorised Corporate Service Provider to verify you.
How does TheWing.pk help?
Our UK partner, the accountancy firm AccoTax, manages UK company formation, the UK registered office, VAT and year-end accounts for Pakistan-based owners. TheWing.pk gives you somewhere to run the business from here: a hot desk is PKR 31,800 a month and a day pass PKR 1,750. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can my Islamabad office be my UK registered office?
No. The registered office must be a physical address in the UK.
Do I need to live in the UK to be a director?
No. GOV.UK says directors do not have to live in the UK, but the company must have a UK registered office.
Is my registered email address public?
No. Companies House says it will not publish the registered email address.
Can I move my registered office to Scotland later?
You can change the address, but not the part of the UK the company is registered in.
How do I start a UK company enquiry?
Send an enquiry about UK company formation, or book a free tour at Central Mall, GT Road, DHA Phase 2.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Rules for registered office addresses and email addresses
- GOV.UK: Incorporation and names guidance
- Companies Act 2006, section 86
- GOV.UK: Verify your identity for Companies House
- GOV.UK: When you need to verify your identity for Companies House
- GOV.UK: Filing your company’s confirmation statement
