From 18 November 2025, changes are being introduced by Companies House as part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
These changes aim to enhance corporate transparency and combat economic crime by requiring all directors, People with Significant Control (PSCs), and those filing on behalf of companies to verify their identities with Companies House.
What does this mean for you?
Identity verification will become mandatory from 18 November 2025. This applies to both new and existing directors, and PSCs.
> Existing directors will need to confirm they have verified their identity when filing their next annual confirmation statement within a 12-month transition period from 18 November 2025.
> Existing PSCs who are also directors have a 14-day period to verify their identity from the company’s confirmation statement date. If the PSC is not a director, the 14-day period starts from the first day of their month of birth; eg. date of birth shown at Companies House is March 1990, then the 14-day period will start on 1 March 2026.
How to verify your identity
There are two primary ways to comply with this new requirement:
1. You can verify directly with Companies House for which there is no charge.
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- You can verify your identity online through the GOV.UK One Login service and will need to create your GOV.UK One Login account if you do not already have one.
- This method is free and involves using approved identity documents, such as a biometric passport from any country, a UK photo driving licence, a UK biometric residence permit, or other similar documents.
- You can verify your identity using the GOV.UK ID Check app on a smartphone, answering security questions online, or by visiting a Post Office that offers in-branch verification if you live in the UK.
- Once successfully verified, you will receive a unique Companies House personal code. Please forward this to us as we will need this code for future filings for yourself and your company.
2. Verify through us as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)
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- As a registered ACSP with Companies House and supervised by a UK Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory body, we are authorised to verify your identity on your behalf.
- If you choose us to verify your identity at Companies House, and we do not already have documents on file, we will request the following information and documentation from you:
Full name and any former names (as shown on at least one of the identity documents you provide)
– Date of birth
– Home address
– Address history for the last 12 months
– A unique email address (Companies House will use this to send your personal code to you which you will then need to forward to us)
– Approved current identity documents as evidence (eg. a biometric or machine-readable passport, a UK photocard driving licence).
We will need to review the original documents and take a copy and may need to collect additional details like document reference numbers, expiry dates, and country of issue
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- Please note: while Companies House verification is free, we will charge a fee for each individual’s identity to be verified for providing this service, due to the administrative requirements involved. Please contact us for details.
What happens next?
Once your identity is successfully verified (either directly with Companies House or through our firm), you will receive a unique Companies House personal code via your email.
This 11-character code is personal to you and will be required for future filings, such as confirmation statements, or when being appointed as a director or PSC. It is crucial to keep this code secure, and importantly provide us with this code once you receive it.
We strongly recommend you taking action to verify your identity as soon as possible to avoid potential delays or complications when the mandatory requirements come into effect in November.
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- Failure to comply could lead to an offence and potentially financial penalties or being struck off the register.
Contact
If you would like to discuss your situation with your accountant, please call our Leicester office on 0116 254 9262, or Loughborough office on 01509 263500. Alternatively, our contact form is here.