In short: You can form a company for an Aberdeen business fully online with us. A Scottish company needs a registered office in Scotland: your own Aberdeen address or our Edinburgh address, which suits contractors who work offshore. Prices start at £290 including VAT and the £100 Companies House fee.
Starting a business in Aberdeen
Aberdeen's economy is built on energy. The Scottish Government's evidence on the region describes a strategy that builds on the area's global credentials in offshore and subsea energy production and focuses on net-zero solutions and a just transition for energy workers, with projects such as the Energy Transition Zone and the Net Zero Technology Centre. The same strategy also supports food and drink, agriculture and fishing, tourism, life sciences and the creative industries.
Scottish Development International adds that the north east has a strong digital technology cluster linked to energy, a health tech base around the Foresterhill Health Campus, and food, drink and agritech research at bodies such as the James Hutton Institute and the Rowett Institute.
That shapes the kind of companies people start here. Many Aberdeen founders are engineers or project managers leaving a large operator to work as contractors or consultants. Others set up offshore-wind or hydrogen supply-chain firms, software businesses for the energy sector, seafood or food-and-drink brands, or tourism businesses in Aberdeenshire.
If you are moving from employment to contracting, how your company is taxed (including the off-payroll rules) depends on your contracts. Speak to an accountant before you start.
Which registered office do you need?
An Aberdeen company is normally registered in Scotland, with a company number beginning SC. Its registered office must be an address in Scotland.
- Your own address in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire is fine, but it will be public.
- Our Edinburgh address is also in Scotland, so it works for an Aberdeen company. Our Registered Office Address service costs £250 a year, and we scan and email official mail to you.
This suits contractors who work offshore or travel for long periods: letters from Companies House and HMRC reach you by email wherever you are on rotation.
If your company will trade mainly in England, you can register it in England and Wales instead and use our London registered office. You cannot switch nations later by changing the address.
We do not have an office in Aberdeen. We are based in Edinburgh and work fully online.
Local support for new businesses in Aberdeen
- Business Gateway Aberdeen City and Shire covers both Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. It offers free one-to-one advice by phone, video call or email, a business plan guide and template, market reports, a research service, webinars and support for young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 30. Its office is at Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen AB16 5GB, with visits booked in advance.
- Scottish Development International promotes the north east to investors and describes support hubs such as ONE Tech Hub for tech start-ups and ONE BioHub for life sciences.
- Find Business Support is the Scotland-wide directory of public sector help, useful for checking funding schemes.
Example: an offshore engineering contractor
This is an illustration, not a real client. Callum is a subsea engineer who has worked for an Aberdeen operator for twelve years. He has been offered a contract role on an offshore wind project and the client wants him to work through his own limited company. He spends weeks at a time offshore, so he wants official post handled for him.
He chose the Privacy Package at £1,000, which includes our Edinburgh registered office and a director service address for the first year. He verified his identity with us online before his next rotation, and his Scottish company was registered within 24 hours. His accountant then handled VAT and payroll registration.
How it works
- Check your company name and order online.
- Verify your identity. As a Companies House Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), we check each director and person with significant control and help you get a personal code.
- We file with Companies House. Most companies are registered within 24 hours of us receiving complete details.
- Your documents arrive in your online account, and we register the company with HMRC for Corporation Tax.
Next steps
If you will use your own Aberdeen address, the Digital Package at £290 is enough. If you work away or want privacy, choose the Privacy Package or add our Registered Office Address. Start with a free company name check.
Frequently asked questions
I work offshore. Can I still form my company?
Yes. Everything is done online, including identity verification. With our Edinburgh registered office, official mail is scanned and emailed to you while you are away.
Can an Aberdeen company use your Edinburgh registered office?
Yes. Edinburgh is in Scotland, so our address meets the rule that a Scottish company's registered office must be in Scotland.
Do I need to visit an office in Aberdeen?
No. We do not have an Aberdeen office; the whole process is online.
Where can I get free start-up advice in Aberdeen?
Business Gateway Aberdeen City and Shire offers free one-to-one advice, planning tools and webinars for both Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Should I contract through my own limited company?
It depends on your contracts and the off-payroll working rules. We can form the company, but please ask an accountant whether it suits your tax position.
Sources and local links
- National Strategy for Economic Transformation: evidence from Regional Economic Partnerships — Scottish Government
- Discover what the Aberdeen city region offers your business — Scottish Development International
- Business Gateway Aberdeen City and Shire — Business Gateway
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