What is a Director Service Address?

Director service addresses provide a secure and reliable location where statutory correspondence can be sent by an official body (e.g. by HMRC or Companies House), and received and actioned by a director. Statutory correspondence includes legal notices and official communications from the courts, HMRC, and Companies House. According to the Companies Act 2006, a director service address must be provided for every company director within the company, forming part of the public record to promote transparency. A director service address may be provided when registering a new company or appointing a director. 

In this guide, we will look at some of the important considerations when registering a director service address including location, privacy/safeguarding, the compliance requirements, who else needs a service address, and the types of addresses that are eligible under the Companies Act 2006.

What is a ‘Director Service Address’?

UK directors are legally required to provide two separate addresses to Companies House: a residential address and a director service address. A director service address is an official correspondence address where a director receives statutory mail and notices. Companies House, HMRC, and other official entities can use this address to communicate with an individual director. It is important to remember that the director service address provided is placed on the public register and, hence, can be seen by anyone. For directors who work from home or run their business remotely, the option to use an alternative service address is particularly valuable, as we will discuss later in this article.

A director service address is different from a home address, which is not placed on the public register. This visibility of service addresses serves an important purpose: it ensures that company directors remain reachable and accountable for their roles.

Key differences between director service address and home address

	Director Service Address	Home Address
Why used?	Used for official communications with Companies House and HMRC; acts as a formal address for business matters.	Personal residence, primarily for private, non-business-related correspondence.
On the public register?	Publicly accessible on the Companies House register.	Not placed on public register.
Cost	Often involves a nominal fee if using a third-party service provider.	No additional cost if the home address is used, but may compromise privacy.
Suitable for non-UK residents?	Yes	No
Security Risks	Lower risk of unwanted personal visits or security threats.	Higher risk if the home address is publicly available.

What are the legal requirements for a Director Service Address?

The Companies Act 2006 sets out clear requirements around director service addresses, as follows:

• Section 1140 of the Act states, “A document may be served on a person to whom this section applies by leaving it at, or sending it by post to, the person’s registered address”. 
• Section 1141 goes on to say that “a ‘service address’, in relation to a person, means an address at which documents may be effectively served on that person”, and
• Section 1142 states that “Any obligation under the Companies Acts to give a person’s address is, unless otherwise expressly provided, to give a service address for that person”. 

As a company director, you not only have a legal duty under the Companies Act 2006 to provide a service address, but you must also ensure that it is accurate and kept up-to-date at all times. This is key because if you change your service address and fail to let Companies House know, you may not receive important correspondence. You may then face fines or penalties for not taking action when required to do so.

Privacy and public visibility

One of the main considerations when supplying a director service address to Companies House is privacy. Many directors do not realise that their service address is available on the public register for all to see, potentially leading to unsolicited contact or privacy concerns. 

The good news is that Companies House allows company directors to register an alternative service address. Options include using the company’s registered office, a business address, or a service provided by a third party, such as Uniwide’s prestigious service address service, to shield their home information. Using a third-party address service such as that provided by Uniwide Formations enables directors to comply with the law while keeping their home addresses confidential.

Where can a director service address be located?

Company law offers some flexibility regarding the location of director service addresses. Unlike a company’s registered office, which must be based in the UK, a director’s service address can be located anywhere, in the UK or abroad, as long as it is a physical address.

The ability to use an overseas address is particularly helpful for international directors who operate businesses within the UK. Your director service address must:

• Be a physical location that can receive mail reliably. 
• Not be a PO Box 
• Be easily accessible for receiving statutory mail
• Be monitored regularly to ensure timely handling of correspondence.

Selecting a suitable service address

As a company director, you have several options available when choosing a service address. You can opt to use your company’s registered office, especially if it is a well-monitored and central location. Alternatively, you can use the office of your accountant, Solicitor, or another trusted professional.

Many directors choose to use a professional third-party service address service to handle their service address needs. Companies such as Uniwide Formations provide secure service addresses in prestigious UK locations, ensuring the safe and timely receipt of all official correspondence. Such services will normally open any mail received on your behalf in a secure manner, scan it, and forward it directly to your chosen email address. 

What is the role of a Director Service Address in company compliance?

The point of a director service address is to make sure that statutory bodies such as HMRC can contact you as and when necessary (e.g. to remind you to submit an annual filing). By keeping an updated and monitored service address, directors ensure they receive all legal and statutory notices reliably, promptly, and securely. The director service address is used to send out reminders about filing deadlines, updates to company law, and even notices regarding legal proceedings.

By not providing an accurate service address to Companies House, or just as importantly, neglecting to monitor it, you may miss important company-related correspondence. This can lead to penalties, delayed compliance filings, and potential harm to your company’s reputation. 

Serving legal proceedings and documents to a director service address is viewed by the courts as equivalent to doing so under the Civil Procedure Rules. This means that if the courts serve documents on you in your capacity as a company director and you don’t receive them because you have not updated your service address, they will take the view they have been served on you.

Choosing a professional Director Service Address service

When it comes to selecting a reliable service address provider, reputation and reliability are paramount. Only ever use an address service provider who will take in your correspondence, keep it secure, and ensure that you receive it in a timely manner. An established third-party service address provider can offer not only an address but additional services, such as forwarding mail directly to the director’s private residence or providing digital alerts. 

Another consideration is location. Uniwide Formations offers a prestigious director service address in Kensington, London. Cost is another factor. Different providers charge varying fees for service addresses. Companies like Uniwide Formations offer extremely competitive pricing on director service addresses and mail forwarding, though it is always important to verify any specific rates with the provider to ensure there are no unexpected charges.

Who else requires a Director Service Address?

In addition to company directors, several other individuals involved in the company structure are required to provide and maintain a service address. This includes:

• Company secretaries – responsible for managing the administrative functions of a company
• Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) members, and 
• People with significant control (PSCs).

Each of these parties must have a valid service address on file with Companies House to receive official correspondence. Like directors, these individuals can opt to use a third-party professional address provider such as Uniwide Formations to protect their privacy and maintain compliance with UK law.

Final words

Providing a director service address to Companies House provides a reliable channel for receiving statutory correspondence while promoting transparency. For directors who value their privacy, choosing a professional service address can offer peace of mind. Whether you are setting up a new business or simply reviewing your current arrangements, ensuring a dependable service address is crucial. Selecting the right address will allow you to ensure your compliance with company law and focus on your duties as a director without compromising your privacy.

Director Service Address FAQ’s