Key takeaways
- UK law doesn't require directors to live in the UK, but many UK banks do set residency conditions of their own.
- As of November 2026, Starling requires UK-resident directors and people with significant control. Monzo requires a company tax resident only in the UK, and its page doesn't say where the director must live.
- Barclays and NatWest's start-up account need at least one UK-resident applicant. HSBC's small business account asks for UK tax residence.
- Tide's help centre accepts a director's home address overseas, but it asks for a UK mobile number and a UK app store account.
- As of November 2026, Tide's plans run from free to £69.99 a month, and Wise charges 50 GBP once for account details. Wise and Airwallex are e-money firms, which the FSCS doesn't protect.
- Align isn't a bank. Its published limits are lists of countries and activities, not a UK residency test, and every company goes through KYB.
The short answer
A UK limited company can have directors who live abroad. GOV.UK says directors "do not have to live in the UK", but the company must have a UK registered office address. Finding a UK business bank account for non-residents is a separate question, because each bank and payment firm sets its own conditions.
As of November 2026, the published conditions fall into three groups:
- The people must be in the UK: Starling. Monzo's page is less clear: see the table.
- One UK-resident applicant, or UK tax residence: Barclays, NatWest's start-up account and HSBC's small business account.
- Overseas directors can apply, with conditions: Tide and Revolut Business. Wise Business and Airwallex don't state a rule on where directors live.
If nobody at the company lives in the UK, start with the third group, and read the conditions below before you apply. Align is another option for companies that need named GBP, EUR, USD or AED details, and a UK company can apply. Align isn't a bank, so compare it on what you need the account to do.
What each provider says
We read these pages in November 2026, except where the table says otherwise. Each provider can change its conditions, and each still reviews every application.
| Provider | Published condition | Non-resident directors |
|---|---|---|
| Starling | Applicant "based in the UK"; directors with account access and people with significant control are UK residents; no corporate shareholders | No, on its published terms |
| Monzo | Open to "the director of a registered limited company by shares (Ltd), based in the UK"; the company is tax resident in the UK "and no other countries" | Not stated; check with Monzo |
| Barclays | "At least one person on the application must be a UK resident" | Only alongside a UK-resident applicant |
| NatWest | Start-up account: at least one UK-resident applicant, and the business registered for UK income or corporation tax. Mettle: "owners who are UK residents" | Only alongside a UK-resident applicant, and not for Mettle |
| HSBC | Small business account: "You'll need to be a UK tax resident" | Unlikely, unless you're UK tax resident |
| Tide | Directors need "a valid home address in the UK or overseas", a UK mobile number and a device on a UK app store; the company is registered with Companies House | Yes, if you meet those conditions |
| Revolut Business | The company is registered and can prove a physical presence; on the UK site the applicant may live in the UK, the EEA, the US, Australia, Singapore or India (read 23 October 2026) | Yes, from those places |
| Airwallex | The business is registered in a country it supports, the UK included, and is "fully incorporated, active and in good standing". It asks for photo ID and the home address of every director | Not stated; its pages set no rule on where directors live |
| Wise Business | Limited companies are supported. It asks for UK registration documents and proof of address for the business and directors. Its help page on eligible businesses doesn't say where directors must live | Not stated; check for your country |
We couldn't read Lloyds' eligibility page when we checked, so it isn't in the table. Revolut's help pages also couldn't be reopened in November, so its row is from our October comparison. Confirm it on Revolut's page.
Two limits are easy to miss. Wise says it doesn't support businesses involved in cryptocurrency, so a stablecoin company should read its terms first. NatWest says applications can take longer if you make overseas transactions, and that it may turn down a business linked with certain business types or countries, without naming them.
What a UK business bank account for non-residents costs
Price, opening time and protection differ as much as eligibility does. As of November 2026, from each provider's own pages, for the providers above that accept directors who live abroad or don't state a rule:
| Provider | Monthly fee | Opening | Deposit protection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tide | Lite free; Smart £12.49, Pro £27.49, Max £69.99 | Online. Tide says it may approve an application within minutes if it passes the automatic checks | Eligible deposits held with ClearBank are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 |
| Wise Business | No monthly fee; 50 GBP once for account details in 22 currencies | Online | Wise is an e-money institution, which the FSCS doesn't protect |
| Airwallex | Explore £19, or £0 if you deposit £10,000 a month or keep a £10,000 balance; Grow £49 | Online, in 1 to 3 business days, Airwallex says | Airwallex (UK) Limited is an e-money institution, which the FSCS doesn't protect |
| Align | No monthly fee; pricing quoted on request | Online; compliance review in 1 to 3 business days | Align isn't a bank, and there's no deposit protection |
Revolut Business isn't in this table because its pricing pages didn't load when we checked. Starling has no monthly fee and its eligible deposits are FSCS-protected, but its directors must live in the UK.
The FSCS limit is £120,000 per person per firm, and it says it "can't protect e-money or payment services firms". If your company will hold more than it needs for a few months of payments, ask where the money sits and what protects it.
If you haven't formed the company yet, GOV.UK says registering it online costs £100 and usually takes 24 hours. The registered office must be a physical address in the UK, not a PO Box, and a formation agent can provide one.
Why providers care where directors live
Residency conditions aren't a Companies House rule. They're each provider's own policy, and they sit on top of its anti-money-laundering duties.
Under the UK's Money Laundering Regulations, a beneficial owner of a company is anyone who ultimately owns or controls more than 25% of its shares or voting rights. A regulated firm has to identify those people, and it has to apply stronger checks where it finds higher risk. Geography is one of the risk factors the rules list, although the regulations also say that a risk factor doesn't always mean high risk.
Companies House has its own layer. Identity verification became a legal requirement on 18 November 2025 for directors and people with significant control. You can use GOV.UK One Login, or an authorised agent, and Companies House says the agent route works from any country. Do this first, so the public register matches your application.
Which route fits
| Your situation | Where to start |
|---|---|
| One director lives in the UK | Barclays or NatWest's start-up account, with that director on the application. Starling or Monzo only if all their conditions are met |
| No UK-resident director, but you can use a UK mobile number and UK app store | Tide |
| Applicant lives in the EEA, the US, Australia, Singapore or India | Revolut Business |
| You need several currencies and work in fiat | Wise Business or Revolut Business, after checking your country |
| You're paid in USDC or USDT as well as by bank, or need AED details | Align |
| You need a bank, with deposit protection | A bank: Align isn't one, and it doesn't offer deposit protection |
A bank is the better fit when you need lending, an overdraft, cash deposits or deposit protection. Don't open an account you don't need just to have a sort code: a provider will ask what you plan to do with it, and the answer has to match your activity.
What to prepare before you apply
This checklist works for most providers, including Align. The KYB documents guide has the full version.
- A clean Companies House record. Check that directors, people with significant control and the registered office are current, and that identity verification is done.
- A real business address. A UK registered office meets the Companies House rule. Providers may also ask where the company actually operates, so have a lease, a utility bill or a similar document for that location.
- Identity and address documents for owners. Have a passport and recent proof of home address for each director and each owner of 25% or more. If a document isn't in English, ask whether the provider needs a translation.
- The full ownership chain. If a holding company sits on top, take the chart up to the individuals. Starling doesn't accept corporate shareholders at all, so check this early.
- A short description of the business. Say what you sell, who your customers are, which countries you trade with and what monthly volumes you expect.
- Evidence of trading. Contracts, invoices or a website show the business is real. A new company can use signed contracts or letters of intent.
- Source of funds. Have documents that show where the first money comes from, such as a shareholder loan agreement or a customer contract.
- Tax position. Know where the company is tax resident, and ask an accountant if it's run from abroad. Monzo accepts only companies that are tax resident in the UK and nowhere else.
Apply to one provider at a time, and answer each question the same way everywhere. If you've been declined before and a form asks about it, say so.
How this works with Align
Align gives registered companies named account details in the company's own name: GBP on Faster Payments, EUR on SEPA and SEPA Instant, USD on SWIFT, with ACH and wires through a US banking partner on request and after its own review, and AED on IPP and UAEFTS. A UK Ltd can apply for all four, subject to the limits below. Balances stay in their currency next to USDC, USDT and EURC, and you can convert between them.
Align's published limits are the countries and activities on its eligibility check, rather than a UK residency test. It doesn't onboard customers or beneficial owners in sanctioned countries, wherever the company is registered. It serves registered companies, so a sole trader should speak to the team first. KYB decides every application: the review usually takes 1 to 3 business days once the documents are in, and Align may ask for more.
Align isn't a bank, and it doesn't offer deposit protection. Align Payments Ltd. is registered with FINTRAC in Canada as a money services business (no. N300000203), and regulated services are provided through licensed financial institutions. Pricing is quoted on request. See the GBP account and what safety means at Align. If owners have links to Ukraine, read UK and EU companies with Ukrainian owners.
Sources
- GOV.UK, Appoint directors and company secretaries (accessed 6 November 2026)
- GOV.UK, Verifying your identity for Companies House and People with significant control (accessed 6 November 2026)
- UK legislation, Money Laundering Regulations 2017, regulation 5 and regulation 33 (accessed 6 November 2026)
- Starling Bank, Business account (rechecked 10 November 2026)
- Monzo, Eligibility for Monzo Business (accessed 6 November 2026)
- Barclays, Business Current Account (accessed 6 November 2026)
- NatWest, Start-up bank account and Compare business bank accounts (accessed 6 November 2026)
- HSBC UK, Small business bank account (accessed 6 November 2026)
- Tide, How to become a Tide member (rechecked 10 November 2026)
- Tide, Pricing (accessed 10 November 2026)
- Airwallex, Business account, UK pricing, Who can sign up and Documents for a UK company (accessed 10 November 2026)
- Wise, Business pricing (UK) (accessed 10 November 2026)
- FSCS, Check your money is protected (accessed 10 November 2026)
- GOV.UK, Register your company and Company address (accessed 10 November 2026)
- Revolut, Eligible countries and territories for Revolut Business (accessed 23 October 2026)
- Wise, Can my business use Wise? and Best UK business bank accounts for non-residents (accessed 6 November 2026)
Common questions
- Can a non-UK resident open a UK business bank account?
- Sometimes. UK law lets a non-resident be a director of a UK company, but each provider sets its own conditions. As of November 2026, Starling needs UK residents, Monzo needs a company tax resident only in the UK, Barclays and NatWest's start-up account need one UK-resident applicant, and Tide's help centre accepts a director's overseas home address.
- Does a UK limited company need a UK-resident director?
- No. GOV.UK says directors don't have to live in the UK, but the company must have a UK registered office address. Directors and people with significant control must also verify their identity with Companies House.
- Can I open a Tide account if I live outside the UK?
- Tide's help centre says directors of limited companies need a valid home address in the UK or overseas, and that the company must be registered with Companies House. It also asks for a UK mobile number and a device registered to a UK app store, so check those before you apply.
- Can a UK Ltd with non-resident directors open a Monzo or Starling account?
- Starling, no: as of November 2026 it says directors with account access and people with significant control must be UK residents. Monzo is less clear. It's open to 'the director of a registered limited company by shares (Ltd), based in the UK', and the company must be tax resident only in the UK, but it doesn't say where the director must live, so ask Monzo.
- Is Align a UK bank account?
- No. Align isn't a bank. It gives registered companies named account details, including GBP on Faster Payments, after a KYB review, and a UK company can apply. Align Payments Ltd. is registered with FINTRAC in Canada as a money services business, and regulated services are provided through licensed financial institutions.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and providers' terms change; check the sources linked above and take advice on your own situation.
