UK Companies House: ID verification now legal requirement for Directors and PSCs

From 18 November 2025, Companies House identity verification is now a legal requirement for the following people:

• directors;
• the equivalent of a director (members, general partners etc);
• directors of overseas companies registered in the UK;
• authorised corporate service providers (Companies House authorised agents);
• people who file for companies (company secretaries).

There is a 12-month transition period to ensure all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) have verified by their respective due dates.

This is part of a change to provide more clarity and assurance about who is setting up, running and owning companies in the UK. 

In order to start the verification process one can use the “verify your identity for Companies House” service. You will be asked some questions and then required to verify either through an app, by answering security questions online or by entering details from your photo ID. Alternatively, there is an option to use an authorised corporate service provider. 

Once you have successfully verified, you will be provided with a Companies House personal code. If you are a director, you will need to provide your personal code in your company's next confirmation statement filing. Or if you become a director you will need to provide it when you file your appointment documents or when you incorporate a company. Companies will not be able to file their confirmation statements unless all its directors are verified. 

PSCs must also verify their identity and provide their personal code to Companies House but the period for doing so will depend on the circumstances as there are different timings for if you are both a PSC and a director of the same company, if you are just a PSC or if you became a PSC after the 18 November start date. More details on that here. 

If you are subject to the new ID verification requirements and you do not comply you may be committing an offence and could face prosecution and/or a fine or other financial penalty. As a result, Companies House can publish a note against you on the Companies House public register and also place certain restrictions against you. For example, you would be unable to be appointed as a new director to an existing company or register a new company or entity. 

ID verification will be introduced at a later date for others (including limited partnerships, corporate directors of companies, corporate members of LLPs etc). 

More details on the requirements, how to verify and when can be found here: Identity verification at Companies House - GOV.UK

Companies House is introducing a new identity verification process to help deter those wishing to use companies for illegal purposes. Anyone setting up, running, owning or controlling a company in the UK will need to verify their identity to prove they are who they claim to be.

www.gov.uk/...