Companies House identity verification is mandatory and has been in force since 18 November 2025. That date began a 12-month phased transition for existing directors and people with significant control (PSCs); it was not a single deadline for everyone. Your deadline depends on your role and company filing history, so check the relevant company record and official service rather than assuming the start date is your personal due date.
Who needs to verify and when?
Identity verification was introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. Companies House says it is intended to improve the reliability of the register and help tackle its misuse. It estimated in 2025 that 6 to 7 million individuals would need to verify by mid-November 2026; that was an estimate, not a count of people who had completed verification. Companies House announcement.
Directors
- Existing directors: Generally provide your personal code with the company’s next confirmation statement during the transition. Each company appointment is a separate reporting step.
- New directors: Provide the code in the appointment filing or when the company is incorporated.
- More than one company: You generally verify once and use the same code for each directorship.
- Overseas companies: Companies House guidance says directors’ verification must be confirmed by the anniversary of the UK establishment’s registration. Check the current guidance for your circumstances.
See the official guidance on when to verify and check the relevant filing date for your company.
People with significant control (PSCs)
Every PSC must verify and submit a personal code with a verification statement. The 14-day period depends on the PSC’s circumstances:
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- Existing PSC who is not a director of the same company: The period starts on the first day of the PSC’s birth month as recorded on the register.
- Existing PSC who is also a director of that company: The period is linked to the company’s confirmation statement date. Filing the statement early does not move the PSC’s window.
- PSC added after 18 November 2025: The details can be provided when the PSC is first added or within 14 days.
Check your individual date through the PSC timing guidance and the company register. If you hold both director and PSC roles in the same company, you must complete the reporting step for each role.
Other company roles
Companies House guidance says verification will be introduced later for some additional roles, including people who file documents, limited partnerships, corporate directors, corporate members of LLPs and officers of corporate PSCs. Do not assume individual director or PSC deadlines apply to these roles; check current official guidance for your role.
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How to verify your identity
You can verify through GOV.UK One Login or an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), sometimes called a Companies House authorised agent. Accountants, solicitors and company formation agents are examples of ACSPs. One Login is the direct official route; an ACSP may suit someone who wants an authorised agent to handle the process. The available options and any fees depend on the route and provider, so check before proceeding.
Using GOV.UK One Login
Examples of photo ID listed in the official guidance include a biometric passport from any country, a full or provisional UK photo driving licence, a UK biometric residence permit or card, and a Frontier Worker permit. The options available can depend on your circumstances; consult the current identity-verification guidance for the full, up-to-date list and process.
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Using an ACSP
An ACSP can verify you and submit information through the authorised agent route. Choose this option if you prefer an agent’s help, and confirm directly with that provider what documents, steps and charges apply. Companies House guidance does not establish a preferred provider.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happens after verification?
Successful verification produces an 11-character personal code. It belongs to you, not to a company, and is generally reused for your different relevant company roles. Keep it secure. You may share it with an agent filing on your behalf. Companies House may also ask for the date of birth associated with the code to confirm the details match. The identity evidence you submit is not itself part of the public register.
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Verification and reporting the code are distinct tasks: completing the identity check does not remove the need to provide the code for each relevant role by its deadline. Directors usually report through a company filing; PSCs submit it through the PSC verification process.
What if you miss the requirement?
Companies House says failure to meet identity-verification duties may constitute an offence and may lead to a financial penalty or fine. Its PSC service also says a note may be displayed against the person’s name on the public register. Companies House states that a director must verify to continue acting as a director. The consequences depend on the circumstances, so check the current official guidance rather than assuming a particular penalty applies to your case. Companies House enforcement and penalties.
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