How to Register a Limited Company with a Virtual Address

Step 1 — Decide on your registered office address

Every limited company needs a registered office. Order of operations matters here: get your registered office address sorted first. With a virtual address like our Woolwich SE18 one, you can file the moment you've chosen a plan — no waiting for a lease or a practical test (with our Woolwich office, real mail arrives at a real commercial estate).

Step 2 — Prepare your company details

Have these to hand before you log into Companies House:

• 1. Company name — check it's available (search the Companies House register).
• 2. SIC code — the 5-digit code describing your business activity.
• 3. Directors' details — name, date of birth, nationality, occupation, country of residence.
• 4. Directors' service addresses — use a professional one, not your home, for privacy.
• 5. Shareholders, share types and amounts — most start with 1 share at £1. Each shareholder also needs an address for the register.
• 6. PSC (People with Significant Control) details — typically the shareholders if they hold more than 25%.

Step 3 — Register online (usually £50)

Log in to Companies House WebFiling or use a nominated agent. You'll select a director-based or shareholder-based registration, enter the details above, pay the £50 fee, and receive your certificate of incorporation — typically the same day. Your virtual registered office simply gets entered like any other address.

Step 4 — Set up for business (the important admin)

After incorporation you'll need to:

• • Get your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) — HMRC posts it to your registered office, so make sure mail handling is in place (ours accepts and forwards it).
• • Register for corporation tax within 3 months of trading.
• • Open a business bank account — a real SE18 commercial address helps verification.
• • Keep statutory registers and file confirmation statements (annually, £34) and accounts on time.

Step 5 — Protect directors' privacy with a service address

Your home address is only kept off the public record if you give Companies House a separate directors' service address. We provide one as part of our virtual office plans — and it also becomes the default for your filing obligations, so the register never shows your domestic address.

Still deciding? Read on

See whether a virtual office can be your registered address (spoiler: yes), or check the best SE London areas to register a business.