Registered Office of a Company

Registered office of a company is the main office of the Company to which all communication relating to the company is sent by the governmental departments. The promoters of a company or LLP must declare the registered office of the company during incorporation and maintain certain documents at the registered office. In this article, we review the process for selection and maintenance of a registered office of a company.

Registered Office of a Company

The registered office of a company is a place to which all official communications pertaining to a Company is sent. In addition to a registered office, a company can have an corporate office or administrative office or branch office or factory, etc., However, only the registered office of the Company needs to be registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. All other offices or additional locations can be opened by a company without any intimation to the ROC.

The registered office of the Company will also determine the domicile of the company (State of Incorporation). The state or location in which the registered office of the Company is situated will determine the Registrar of Company (ROC) to which the application for company registration must be made. Any change of address of Registered Office must be notified to the Registrar of Company (ROC) within a specified period.

Registered Office Requirement during Company Registration

At the time of incorporation of a Company, it is important to declare the registered office of the Company and submit documentary evidence. Typically, the following documents must be submitted while declaring a registered office of a company during incorporation:

Electricity Bill / Water Bill / Property Tax Receipt
No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from Landlord for Registered Office
Rental or Lease Agreement between Landlord and the Company

It is important to note that the name and address mentioned on the electricity bill / water bill / property tax receipt exactly match the NOC Certificate from Landlord and the Rental Agreement. Further, the registered office of a company cannot be a vacant land or building under construction. However, there is also no requirement for the registered office to be a commercial or industrial property. The registered office of a company can also be a residential property.

In case the company has not decided the registered office of the Company while filing for incorporation, Companies Act, 2013 provides the option for the Company to declare a temporary address. The registered office of the Company must then be declared by filing INC 22 within 15 days of incorporation of the Company.

Registered Office Change

Once the registered office of a Company is declared by filing INC 22, any further changes to the registered office of the Company must be intimated to the ROC. Any change is registered office address within the same area of city or town or village must be notified within fifteen days by filing the appropriate forms. In case of change of registered office of a company, outside the local limits of any city, town or village, then the change of registered office must be approved by a special resolution passed by the Company. If the registered office of a company is to be changed from one jurisdiction of a ROC to another jurisdiction, then the change in registered office must be approved by the Regional Director of ROC. Visit IndiaFilings for more information relating to change of registered office of a Company.

Registered Office of a LLP

The requirement for registered office of a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) is very similar to registered office of a company. Therefore, the concepts covered in this article are applicable for a LLP also, with changes to forms to be filed for declaration of registered office of a LLP.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Registered Office for Companies.

The registered office of a company serves as the official address where all communication and legal notices from government departments are sent. It is a mandatory requirement for companies and is declared during the incorporation process.

No, a company can have only one registered office. However, it can have additional offices like corporate offices, administrative offices, branch offices, or factories at different locations.

No, the registered office of a company can be a residential property as well. The key requirement is that it should not be a vacant land or a building under construction.

The typically required documents include an electricity bill, water bill, or property tax receipt, a No-Objection Certificate from the landlord, and a rental or lease agreement between the landlord and the company.

No, it is mandatory for every company to have a registered office. If a company has not decided on a permanent registered office during incorporation, it can declare a temporary address and later file INC-22 within 15 days to notify the actual registered office address.

If the change is within the same city, town, or village, it needs to be intimated to the Registrar of Companies (ROC) within 15 days. If the change is outside the local limits, it requires a special resolution passed by the company. If the change involves shifting to another ROC jurisdiction, approval from the Regional Director is required.

Yes, the state or location where the registered office of the company is situated determines the Registrar of Companies (ROC) to which the application for company registration must be made.

No, the registered office of a company must be a physical address. Virtual offices or co-working spaces cannot be used as a registered office address.

Yes, the requirements for declaring a registered office for an LLP are very similar to that of a company, with the exception of the specific forms that need to be filed for an LLP.

Failure to notify the change in registered office address within the prescribed time period can attract penalties and legal consequences for the company and its directors.