Does a UK Certificate of Good Standing update after a registered office change?
A COGS is a snapshot at issue. After a registered office change, an older certificate will not show the new address. Reorder for current standing; use certified copies of the AD01 when the recipient needs filing evidence.
After a UK company changes its registered office (commonly filed as AD01), a Certificate of Good Standing ordered later should reflect the current registered address at the issue date. An older COGS will not rewrite itself when the address changes. Keep certified copies of the change filing for recipients that want the history trail, and do not treat an outdated certificate as proof of the live address.
This Advice Centre guide is practical document information, not legal advice, an immigration opinion, a banking decision or a promise of foreign acceptance. Ask the named recipient for its current written checklist before ordering.
Short answer
Order a fresh Certificate of Good Standing against the company number once the new registered office is live on Companies House. Do not rely on a COGS issued before the AD01 appeared. If a bank, free zone or counterparty needs proof of the address change itself, supply a certified copy of the relevant filing — or a company documents pack that includes it — rather than expecting the COGS to act as a change-of-address certificate.
Why registered office changes confuse packs
A registered office update changes the public register and later status certificates, but it does not erase earlier filings, contracts or bank files that still quote the old address. Reviewers often see a mismatch between a recent COGS and older paperwork. A current COGS is a registered-status snapshot at issue — not a history of every previous office, and not a substitute for certified copies of the AD01.
The same practical limit appears after a company name change: standing evidence and change-of-detail evidence answer different checklist lines. See also what “good standing” does not mean.
Start with the company number
Always confirm the company number on Companies House before you order. Names and addresses can look similar; numbers are unique. After an office change, the number links the current COGS, the AD01 filing, older certificates that still show the former address, and other certified copies the checklist names. Put the number on the cover note and in every file name. If a certificate arrived under the wrong details, see wrong name on a company certificate.
What a fresh COGS shows — and does not
Once the new registered office is visible on the live public record, a newly issued Certificate of Good Standing supports a formal statement about the company’s registered position at that issue date, including the current registered office Companies House records for that product.
It does not automatically prove that bank mandates or licences have been updated, the AD01 date trail without the filing itself, trading or service addresses that are not the registered office, solvency, or authority to sign. If the checklist asks for “proof of address change”, treat that as a certified-copy line.
When to reorder vs order certified copies
| Need | Typical document route |
|---|---|
| Current registered standing (live registered office on the certificate) | Fresh Certificate of Good Standing |
| Proof that the registered office change was filed | Certified copy of the AD01 / change filing |
| Several certified items with aligned dates | Company documents pack |
| Formation evidence | Certificate of Incorporation |
Reorder a COGS when the recipient wants current standing. Order certified copies of the change filing when they want evidence of the change event. Many packs want both, clearly labelled. A download or screenshot of filing history is not a certificate or certified copy — see COGS vs filing history.
Check filings before you pay
Registered office changes often sit next to name, officer, PSC or filing catch-up updates. Review the live filing history before you order. If accounts or a confirmation statement are overdue, some recipients will reject a pack even when the address on the COGS is correct. See checking filings before ordering a COGS.
If an AD01 has been submitted but is not yet visible, wait for the live update. A certificate issued before the change appears will still show the old registered office and can force a reorder.
Old certificates and freshness
Do not present an old COGS that still shows the former registered office as current address evidence. Freshness is a recipient rule — often about 30, 60 or 90 days, but the written checklist controls.
If you already hold a COGS (or an apostilled COGS) under the old address, ask whether the recipient needs a new COGS only, a new COGS plus fresh legalisation, the old pack kept as labelled history, and/or a certified copy of the AD01. Use the document freshness helper before you reorder.
Soft pack for banks and counsel
A practical cover note usually includes:
- current legal name, company number and new registered office
- former registered office and the filing date the recipient cares about
- which document proves current standing, and which proves the address change
- whether each item is original, certified copy, scan or legalised
- the recipient’s written freshness and format rule
Never edit an official certificate to insert a new address.
Official Companies House fees
Check the live GOV.UK Companies House fees table before ordering. Working published figures commonly cited for this Advice Centre are £22 for a standard Companies House certificate and £65 for a same-day certificate. Certified copies of filed documents have their own published lines on the same fees guidance. These are official charges, not an agent’s full service price.
Order through UKCOGS when you want the current COGS, certified copies of the registered-office change or a documents pack handled together against a written checklist.
Apostille and overseas use (quote only)
If the pack will be used abroad, the recipient may still ask for apostille or further legalisation. That is a separate route from Companies House issue. UKCOGS can quote apostille and embassy stages when needed; do not treat legalisation as a buy-now SKU until you have confirmed the destination checklist. An apostille authenticates a signature, seal or status — it does not update bank mandates that still show the old office, and it does not refresh an outdated certificate.
Practical checklist
- Confirm company number and wait until the new registered office is live on Companies House
- Order a fresh COGS for current standing; do not reuse a pre-change certificate as live address proof
- Order certified copies of the AD01 (or a pack) when the checklist wants change-of-address evidence
- Review overdue filings before payment
- Ask the recipient for written freshness, format and legalisation rules
Frequently asked questions
Does a Certificate of Good Standing update automatically after an AD01?
No. Certificates already issued stay as they were on the issue date. Order a new COGS after the change is live if the recipient needs current standing under the live registered office.
Will a new COGS show the new registered office?
A freshly issued COGS reflects the company’s registered position at issue, including the registered office Companies House records for that product once the AD01 is live. Confirm against the live public record before you order.
Can I use an old COGS that still shows the previous address?
Usually not for a current-status or current-address check. Keep the old document only as labelled history if needed.
Does an AD01 filing replace a Certificate of Good Standing?
No. The change filing proves the registered office update. A COGS reports registered standing at a later issue date.
Should I order certified copies, a COGS, or both?
Map the checklist: standing → COGS; proof of the address change → certified copy of the AD01; several items with aligned dates → documents pack. Many formal packs want both.
Do I need incorporation as well after an office change?
Often yes for a full onboarding pack. Formation evidence, current standing and the address-change filing answer different questions. Start from the Certificate of Incorporation page if formation is on the list.
Where do I check official fees?
Use the live GOV.UK Companies House fees and certified copies guidance, and re-check before you pay.
For a current Certificate of Good Standing, certified copies of a registered-office change or a multi-document pack matched to a recipient checklist, start from the order page or the UK Certificate of Good Standing service page. Confirm acceptance with the receiving organisation before work begins.
Ready to order Companies House documents?
Buy-now COGS and certified copies. Apostille and embassy work are quote-only — we confirm official fees on GOV.UK.