Is a virtual office a place of business?

Choosing a business address is one of the first decisions you’ll make when starting a business—and one of the most common sources of uncertainty. The registered address, the business address, and the mailing address—each can be different and serve a distinct purpose. In the age of remote work and digital services, a virtual office is becoming an increasingly popular option.

From the authorities’ perspective, what matters most is where the company is officially registered and where it can be effectively notified. A virtual office can legally fulfill this role, provided that the business owner meets specific requirements and possesses the appropriate documents confirming the right to use the address. This arrangement offers flexibility, convenience, and access to additional services without the need to maintain a physical location.

What is a place of business?

The place of business can be the place where the company is registered. It can also be the place where the business is actually carried out: a store, a warehouse, a manufacturing plant. But in a legal sense, the place of business determines such things as being under a certain tax authority, the place where official correspondence is to be addressed.

It could therefore easily serve as a virtual office, where mail is received and forwarded to the appropriate person within the company.

Types of addresses related to running a company

To start with, let’s clarify two terms: the company’s registered office and the company’s address. The registered office is, for example, Ciechanów, Zakopane, or Elbląg. It indicates the jurisdiction where the company is registered. The company’s address is the specific location of the registered office, such as the street name, house number, etc.

When we talk about a company’s registered address, we mean the location (specific address) where the company is registered in the National Court Register. This is the most formal address.

The business address can be completely different from the registration address. A company registered in a virtual office, for example, does business at a different address. There may also be no business address, because if these are services at clients' premises, it is difficult to indicate such an address. In the case of many professions for which only knowledge and a computer are needed, it is also difficult to have such an address, because it may be a different coffee shop every day.

You may also provide a mailing address if, for any reason, you do not wish to receive mail at your registered address or business address. However, please note that official correspondence may still be sent to those addresses.

How to report a virtual office as a place of business in CEIDG?

A virtual office as a place of business is declared in principle the same as any other place. Before proceeding, it is necessary to prepare documents confirming the right to use this office. This can be, for example, a lease agreement, or some other type of agreement confirming that the rightful owner of the premises agrees to register the company there.

Once you’ve logged in to CEIDG, the system will guide you through the next steps. Finally, it will generate a confirmation of your business registration. If you’d like to register a company in Warsaw at one of our locations, we’ll help you fill out the form.

Documentation related to the place of business in the matter of virtual office

The documentation required to run a business from a virtual office should be easily obtainable from the office itself. After all, it is in the best interest of the entrepreneurs who run these offices to ensure that clients can easily complete all the necessary paperwork.

Identification documents like an ID card or passport will also be necessary.

Real estate titles and office lease agreements

The authorities must be sure that the company has not registered in a place to which it has no right. Moreover, that the owner of the place in question knows nothing about it.

Therefore, the basic document required is an office lease or service contract. A reservation agreement for the address in question can serve as an alternative document. If an entrepreneur running a virtual office rents premises, it will also be necessary to present his agreement with the owner, in which the right to sublet will be recorded. And finally, an extract from the land registry proving who owns the property should be presented.

Accounting documents

Most virtual offices also offer accounting services. They either have their own accounting department
or outsource their accounting to an external partner
on preferential terms. Typically, accounting documents are stored by
the accounting firm.

Virtual office vs. place of business - summary

A virtual office is a very convenient place to run a business. You can easily arrange for additional services if needed. The staff are also helpful with administrative matters, since they’ve handled them before.

If you want to start a business and are looking for a convenient, welcoming place to register it, please contact Biznes Spot. We’re a boutique firm, not a corporate giant. When a client calls us, we remember exactly who we’re dealing with.

Contact us today at Biznes Spot and see how easy some things become with our help.