In some jurisdictions, companies may use a PO Box to meet registered office requirements.
A head office is the official location of a company that is listed with the government agency that regulates business activities. Some jurisdictions require that the company’s principal place of business be designated as its registered office. Other jurisdictions allow the use of any physical location as long as there is a registered agent who can receive correspondence on behalf of the business. Some jurisdictions require a registered address instead of a registered office, allowing companies to use a post office box to meet the requirement.
Most countries require new businesses to register with a government agency to gain legal authority to do business in a specific jurisdiction. This allows the government to control various aspects of business activity and protects the public from any unscrupulous practices. As part of the registration process, companies provide official contact information that becomes part of the public record so that the government or its customers can contact the responsible party in the event of a compliance issue or lawsuit. The postal address of the company’s headquarters is the official contact information that every company must provide.
Registered office definitions vary by jurisdiction. Business registries are generally authorized by a specific law, which will indicate what type of office will meet the requirement. The law may require a business to use the address of its principal place of business, or it may require any physical location that can receive mail, with or without a person acting as registered agent.
In the United States, for example, business registries are authorized by state law. Each state’s business statute outlines the registration process and defines the type of contact information that will qualify as the business headquarters. Some states require the business to use an operating location. Others allow businesses to use any physical location, such as the home of an owner or board member.
Some US states require a registered agent who can be reached at the office location, even if the office does not need to be a place of business. Anyone can act as a registered agent, including the business owner, but states that allow business registrations to be handled in this way also have a corporate services business industry that will act as a registered agent and office for the company for a fee. This allows a business to register in a state without having to open an office to meet the contact requirement.