AD01 Form Explained: Change Your Registered Office Address the Right Way
The AD01 form is the official Companies House filing used to notify Companies House of a change to a limited company’s registered office address. This article breaks down everything directors need to know about it, from when the form must be filed and the strict 14-day legal deadline to how to complete and submit it.
It also explains recent compliance changes under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, including new rules around “appropriate addresses” and identity verification. Whether you’re moving premises, switching accountants, or using a registered office service, this guide sets out the practical steps and obligations in clear terms.
What Is the AD01 Form?
The AD01 form is the official Companies House document used to notify a change of registered office address for a limited company. Filing the AD01 is a legal requirement under the Companies Act 2006. Whenever your company’s registered office address changes, you must inform Companies House within 14 days of that change by submitting this form.
Every limited company must maintain a registered office address at all times. This is the official address to which all statutory correspondence, legal notices, and documents from HMRC and Companies House are sent. It must be a physical address in the same part of the United Kingdom in which the company is incorporated, i.e., England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
The AD01 form is for limited companies only. If you operate as a limited liability partnership (LLP), the equivalent form is LL AD01.
It is worth noting that the registered office address is distinct from your trading address or principal place of business. You can legitimately operate your business from one location while maintaining a separate registered office address.
When Do You Need to File an AD01?
You must file the AD01 form anytime your company’s registered office address changes. But what constitutes this “address change” is more nuanced than it appears on the surface.
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Moving Business Premises
If your registered office is the same as your trading address and you relocate, you must notify Companies House.
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Changing Your Accountant or Company Secretary
Many small companies use their accountant's address as the registered office. If you’ve also done the same, then you need to file the AD01 when you switch accountancy providers.
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Switching to a Virtual Office or Registered Office Service
Moving to or between professional registered office service providers requires an AD01.
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Incorporating Initially With a Temporary Address
Some directors use a formation agent's address at incorporation and later update to a permanent address.
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Restructuring or Consolidating Office Locations
Mergers, acquisitions, or operational restructuring may result in the registered office moving.
Under section 86 of the Companies Act 2006, the registered office must remain in the same part of the United Kingdom in which the company is registered. A company incorporated in England and Wales cannot move its registered office to a Scottish address via an AD01. That would require a separate process.
Note: The 14-Day Deadline
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Under section 87 of the Companies Act 2006, you must notify Companies House of your address change within 14 days of that change taking place.
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The 14-day clock runs from the date the address change actually occurs, not from the date of any prior board decision.
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Failing to file AD01 within this window is a statutory offence, though enforcement action is rare in practice. It is best practice to file the AD01 on the same day the change occurs.
How to Complete the AD01 Form
When filing the ADO1 form, whether online or by post, you will need to provide the following information:
Company Details
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Company Name
The full registered name exactly as it appears on the Companies House record.
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Company Number
Your unique Companies House registration number. You can find this on your certificate of incorporation or via the Companies House search tool.
New Registered Office Address
You must provide the full new registered office address, including building name or number, street, town or city, county (where applicable), and full postcode.
Since March 2024, the address also needs to qualify as an “appropriate address.” This means it must be a genuine physical location where documents delivered there by hand or by post would reasonably be expected to come to the attention of a person acting on behalf of the company, and where delivery can be acknowledged. A PO Box on its own will not qualify. Companies House has enhanced enforcement powers to query, reject, or replace non-compliant addresses, and persistent non-compliance can lead to strike-off proceedings.
Authorisation
The AD01 form must be authenticated by an authorised person, i.e., a director, company secretary, liquidator, administrator, or other authorised officer. For online filings, this is handled through GOV.UK One Login and the company authentication code. On the paper form, the authorised person must enter their printed name (a wet signature is not required on the current version of the form.
Please note that you do not need a board resolution to change a registered office address unless your company’s articles of association specifically require one.
How to File AD01 Online at Companies House
Online filing is the fastest way to notify Companies House of a change of registered address. Online AD01 forms are typically processed within 24 hours and there is no fee.
How to Send the AD01 Form by Post
Postal filing is available, but it is much slower than the online route. It is generally only necessary in limited circumstances, such as if the company has defaulted to a Companies House address, is in liquidation, or is applying to be restored to the register.
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The full company name
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The company number
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The new registered office address in full
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The printed name of an authorised person (director, company secretary, or other authorised officer) (a wet signature is not required)
Companies House
Crown Way
Cardiff
CF14 3UZ
Postal filings can take up to 10 working days to be processed.
What Happens After You File the AD01?
The Register Is Updated
The public Companies House register is updated to reflect the new registered office address, visible to anyone searching for your company.
You Receive a Confirmation
If filing online, you will receive a confirmation email. If filing by post, Companies House does not send a separate confirmation letter for this filing type, but you can check the register to confirm processing.
When the Change Takes Legal Effect
Under section 87(2) of the Companies Act 2006, the change of registered office takes effect from the date it is registered by Companies House, not the date you submitted the form. Until Companies House updates the register, the old address remains the official registered office for legal purposes.
Even after the change is registered, any legal documents or statutory notices served at your old registered office address remain validly served for 14 days from the date of registration. Arrange mail forwarding or monitoring at your old address during this window to ensure nothing is missed.
What Else Do You Need to Update Beyond Companies House?
HMRC
Companies House automatically notifies HMRC for Corporation Tax purposes, but you should still verify this in your HMRC business tax account.
The following, beyond Corporation Tax, must be updated separately:
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VAT (If VAT-Registered)
Update your VAT registration details via your VAT online account or by completing form VAT484. VAT-registered businesses must notify HMRC within 30 days of the change.
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PAYE (If You Have Employees)
Update your employer details via HMRC's PAYE online service.
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Self Assessment (for Directors)
If a director's Self Assessment record references the company address, update that separately via your HMRC personal tax account.
Company Stationery & Digital Assets
Under the Companies (Trading Disclosures) Regulations 2008, your company’s registered office address must be displayed on business letters, order forms, and your website. Update all of these promptly after the AD01 is registered. Failure to display the correct information is a criminal offence carrying a fine of up to £1,000 for the company and its officers.
Your Bank
Most business bank accounts require the registered office address on file to match the Companies House record. Contact your bank directly to update it. Some accept a screenshot of the updated Companies House register as evidence while others require a formal notification letter.
Insurance Policies
Notify your insurers of the change across all relevant policies, including employers’ liability, public liability, professional indemnity, and any property or contents insurance. An incorrect address on a policy could affect its validity.
Contracts & Legal Documents
Review any contracts, leases, or legal agreements that reference the registered office address. Notify counterparties and update any documents where the address appears as a defined term.
Companies House Registered Email Address
Your registered email address at Companies House is separate from your registered office address. If the email address you wish Companies House to use for official communications is also changing, you must separately notify Companies House using form EM01.
AD01 for Property SPVs: What's Different?
Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) used for property investment, typically limited companies set up to hold Buy-to-Let or commercial properties, are subject to the same AD01 requirements as any other limited company. However, there are several practical considerations specific to property SPVs.
Registered Office vs. Property Address
The registered office of a property SPV does not need to be the address of any property the company holds. Many SPV directors use their accountant’s address, a solicitor’s address, or a professional registered office service. If the SPV changes its registered office (for example, by switching accountants), the director must file an AD01 in the usual way.
Mortgage Lenders & Registered Office Changes
Some specialist Buy-to-Let and commercial mortgage lenders include notification obligations in their loan facility agreements. Check the terms and conditions of any mortgages held within the SPV, as failing to notify a lender of a change in registered office address could technically trigger a covenant breach.
Multiple SPVs Under a Portfolio Structure
Property investors operating portfolios through multiple SPVs will need to file a separate AD01 for each SPV whose registered office address is changing. There is no bulk-filing mechanism at Companies House. A professional company secretarial service can assist with managing multiple filings efficiently.
Land Registry & Title Deeds
The registered office address at Companies House is separate from the correspondence address held at HM Land Registry. If the address on the title register of any property owned by the SPV needs updating, this is done via a COA (Change of Address) form submitted to HM Land Registry. Form AP1 (Application to Change the Register) may also be required depending on the nature of the amendment.
Annual Confirmation Statement
Each SPV must file a confirmation statement (CS01) at least once every 12 months. Ensure the AD01 has been registered by Companies House before filing the confirmation statement, to avoid any discrepancy between the two records.
FAQs
All paper AD01 forms must be sent to the Companies House office in Cardiff, regardless of whether your company is registered in England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. The Edinburgh and Belfast offices don’t accept postal filings.
No. Filing the AD01 form is free, whether online or by post.
Yes. The AD01 can be filed online via the website shared in this article. You must use a GOV.UK One Login, and you will need your company’s six-character authentication code. Online filing is typically processed within 24 hours. Postal filing can take up to 10 working days.
Yes, provided the address meets Companies House requirements. Under the ECCTA, the registered office must be an “appropriate address,” i.e., a genuine physical location where documents delivered by hand or post are expected to come to the attention of someone acting on behalf of the company, and where delivery can be acknowledged. Many virtual office providers offer fully compliant registered office services using real physical business premises. This is a common arrangement for directors who do not want their home address publicly visible on the Companies House register.
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