Registered Address of a Company in Ukraine: From 27 October 2026 the Registrar Checks the Right to the Premises

From 27 October 2026, when a legal entity is set up in Ukraine or changes its registered address, the state registrar must check whether there is a legal basis for using the premises whose address is given as the company’s location. These changes to the Law of Ukraine “On State Registration of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs and Public Organisations” were made by Law No. 5020-IX of 14 October 2026. In practice, companies used to be registered quite often at an address with which they had only a formal connection.

Whose right is checked

• Setting up a new legal entity – the right to use the premises must belong to the founder or one of the founders (Article 6(8), first paragraph, of the Law).
• Changing the address of an existing company – the right to use the premises must belong to the legal entity itself (Article 6(8), second paragraph).

These rules do not apply to state bodies or local self-government bodies.

How the registrar checks the right

• Ownership or another real right derived from ownership is established from the State Register of Real Rights to Immovable Property (Article 6(8)).
• If the premises are used under a lease (sublease) or loan agreement that by law does not require notarisation, the check is based on that agreement, and the registrar uses the State Register of Real Rights to Immovable Property to confirm that the premises are owned by the lessor (lender) (Article 6(8), third paragraph).
• Such an agreement – the original or a notarised copy – is filed with the other documents both when the company is set up and when its address is changed (Article 17(1)(20) and Article 17(4)(17)).

When registration is refused

If the documents filed or the information obtained by the registrar do not establish a legal basis for using the premises, registration is refused (Article 28(1)(13-1)).

What to do before filing

First check the documents for the premises: is there a lease (loan) agreement, and is the lessor’s (lender’s) ownership registered in the State Register of Real Rights to Immovable Property? Only then file the documents to register the company or change its address. More on our page Company registration in Ukraine: companies and sole traders.

Legal basis: Articles 6, 17 and 28 of the Law of Ukraine “On State Registration of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs and Public Organisations” (as amended by Law No. 5020-IX of 14 October 2026). As of November 2026.