What You Need to Know About the Director's Residential Address

A director's residential address must be their actual home address, but it isn't shown on the public register unless it's also used as the registered office or service address. Here's exactly what's public, what's protected, and what's changed recently.

Key Takeaways

• The residential address has to be where the director actually lives, regardless of location.
• It stays off the public register by default, unless it's also being used as the registered office or director's service address.
• Police, certain credit reference agencies, and some public bodies can still access it even when it's not public.
• Directors can apply for extra protection under Section 243, and PSCs under the equivalent Section 790ZF, with the range of protections widened by recent regulations.
• Since November 2025, directors must also verify their identity with Companies House, a separate requirement that sits alongside the residential address rules.

Why Companies House Needs Five Different Addresses

Setting up a limited company means providing several addresses, not just one, and each serves a different legal purpose. Getting them mixed up is one of the most common formation mistakes.

The five you'll typically deal with are:

• Registered office address
• Shareholder address
• Person with Significant Control (PSC) address
• Director's service address
• Director's residential address

This guide focuses on the last one specifically, since it's the one people most often have questions about.

Does the Director's Residential Address Have to Be Their Real Home?

Yes. Regardless of where it is, the residential address must be the director's actual home address, not a business address or a placeholder.

This is separate from the director's service address, which can be a business address, a registered office, or a formation agent's address instead. Mixing the two up is a common error, so it's worth double-checking which field you're filling in during formation or when updating details later.

Is the Residential Address Public?

No, not by default. It only appears on the public register if it's also being used as the registered office address or the director's service address.

If you keep those addresses separate from where you actually live, your residential address stays off the public record entirely. This is one of the main reasons directors choose to use a registered office or service address that isn't their home.

Who Can Still Access It, Even When It's Not Public?

Even though it's not publicly visible, your residential address isn't fully private either. The police, certain public authorities, and specific credit reference agencies can still access it.

Recent regulations have widened the range of personal information individuals can apply to have suppressed from the public register more broadly, going beyond what was possible previously. This doesn't remove access for law enforcement or the specific bodies still entitled to it, but it does give directors more control over what's visible to the general public in more situations than before.

What Is the Section 243 Exemption?

Section 243 lets directors apply to withhold their residential address specifically from credit reference agencies, on top of the standard public register protection. Persons with Significant Control have an equivalent exemption under Section 790ZF.

This exists for people with a genuine safety concern, such as someone in witness protection, though the exemption isn't limited to extreme cases alone. You apply directly through Companies House, and the exemption box on formation or update forms should only be ticked once you've actually arranged it, not in anticipation of doing so.

What Changed: Local Registers and Identity Verification

Since 18 November 2025, companies no longer have to keep their own local register of directors, secretaries, PSCs, and residential addresses. Companies House itself now holds this information centrally, which shifts more weight onto making sure your filings with Companies House are accurate and timely.

Alongside this, directors and PSCs must now verify their identity with Companies House under separate identity verification rules. This is a distinct requirement from anything covered above, but it's closely related, since both changes are part of the same push toward a more accurate, better-verified company register. Our guide to PSCs and the Confirmation Statement covers the identity verification deadlines in full, and our identity verification service can help you get it sorted.

How Do You Change a Director's Residential Address?

You can update a director's residential address either directly with Companies House or through a formation agent if your company is set up with one. Both routes update the same central record.

To do it directly, you can file a CH01 change of director's details form, or make the update online through the Companies House service. If your company is set up with us, you can also log in, go to "My Companies," select the company, and update the director's details from there, usually processed within a few working hours.

Getting the Right Address Setup From the Start

Getting your addresses right at formation avoids having to correct them later. Our registered office address service lets you keep your home address off the register entirely from day one, and our director appointment service can help make sure new appointments, including identity verification, are handled correctly from the outset.

FAQs

Does a director's residential address have to be in the UK?

No, it has to be the director's actual home address, wherever that is, but it doesn't need to be a UK address.

Is a director's home address public information?

Not by default. It's only shown on the public register if it's also used as the registered office or director's service address.

Can I hide my residential address from credit reference agencies?

Yes, through a Section 243 exemption for directors, or Section 790ZF for PSCs, though you need to apply for it directly through Companies House.

What's the difference between a director's residential address and service address?

The residential address must be the director's real home. The service address is the official contact address for correspondence, and it can be a business address instead.

Do I still need to keep a local register of directors at my company?

No, not since November 2025. Companies House now holds this information centrally instead of requiring companies to maintain their own local register.

Do directors need to verify their identity as well as provide a residential address?

Yes. Since November 2025, identity verification is a separate legal requirement for directors and PSCs, alongside the existing address rules.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Companies House rules and protections around personal information can change, so it's worth checking current guidance on GOV.UK or Companies House, or speaking to a qualified professional, before relying on the details above.