Correct places of service for companies in England and Wales
<p><a href="https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules/part06#6.9" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Civil Procedure Rule 6.9</a>(2) states:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Subject to paragraphs (3) to (6), the claim form must be served on the defendant at the place shown in the following table.</p>
<p>(For service out of the jurisdiction see rules 6.40 to 6.47.)</p>
<div class="s-table-container">
<table class="s-table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Nature of defendant to be served</th>
<th>Place of service</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1. Individual</td>
<td>Usual or last known residence.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2. Individual being sued in the name of a business</td>
<td>Usual or last known residence of the individual; or principal or last known place of business.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3. Individual being sued in the business name of a partnership</td>
<td>Usual or last known residence of the individual; or principal or last known place of business of the partnership.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4. Limited liability partnership</td>
<td>Principal office of the partnership; or any place of business of the partnership within the jurisdiction which has a real connection with the claim.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5. Corporation (other than a company) incorporated in England and Wales</td>
<td>Principal office of the corporation; or any place within the jurisdiction where the corporation carries on its activities and which has a real connection with the claim.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6. Company registered in England and Wales</td>
<td>Principal office of the company; or any place of business of the company within the jurisdiction which has a real connection with the claim.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7. Any other company or corporation</td>
<td>Any place within the jurisdiction where the corporation carries on its activities; or any place of business of the company within the jurisdiction.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div></blockquote>
<p>I have a few questions on this—</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What is #5 &quot;<em>Corporation (other than a company) incorporated in England and Wales</em>&quot;?  Is not a company the sole form of corporation that exists in England and Wales?</p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;<em>Principal office</em>&quot; is not defined within the Civil Procedure Rules.  Is it necessarily the <em>registered office</em> (of a company/LLP)?  Or where a company has a head office location that is different to its registered office (which might for example be that of its accountant), might the former be the &quot;principal office&quot;?</p>
</li>
<li><p>Where a company ceases to use a place of business, does that place immediately cease to be a &quot;<em>place of business</em>&quot; for them or would it remain a valid place of service thereafter?</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Supporting citations/references much appreciated!</p>

<ol>
<li>All companies are corporations but not all corporations are companies. For example, co-operatives are Corporations but not companies. Also, most government owned (statutory) corporations are not companies.</li>
<li>"Principal office" is just what it says, the main (principal) office of the organisation. It may be distinct from the registered office for the reason you give among others.</li>
<li>Assuming the organisation still exits, it will have a new Principal Office - even if that is just the office of its liquidator.</li>
</ol>

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