What are the Companies House identity verification requirements?

Designed to increase entrepreneurship in the UK, the registering and running of a company was always effortless, allowing nearly anyone to set up a business in a few hours with minimal identity checks. However, the Companies House identity verification requirements have changed somewhat due to fraudulent behaviour, fake addresses and shell entities being used to disguise financial crime. 

Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), the UK government has introduced the most comprehensive overhaul of corporate governance since the Joint Stock Companies Act of 1844. 

Here, we’ll go through everything you need to know about the Companies House identity verification requirements, so that you can ensure your business maintains its ability to conduct business, maintain a public standing and protect its officers from criminal liability. 

Why Did the Rules For Companies House Identity Verification Requirements Change?

In the past, Companies House primarily functioned as an administrative registry, relying on the good faith of people submitting their information. The ECCTA, however, transformed Companies House into a regulatory body with enforcement powers, with the intent to eliminate bad actors and ensure that every person running a business in the UK is who they claim to be. 

Treating the new verification process as anything less than important can carry risks, especially with the legal system tying identity verification directly to your company’s active legal status. 

  • Filing rejections: Companies House have the ability to reject key statutory submissions if directors or controlling entities don’t have a verified status. 
  • Criminal offences: Failing to comply with the verification requirements will result in a criminal offence for individuals involved, as well as the company itself. This can lead to fines or prosecution. 
  • Director disqualification risk: Persistent non-compliance or filing false declarations can result in director disqualification and public marks on the official register. 
  • Operational paralysis: When a company is unable to file its annual confirmation statement, it can face eventual striking-off from the register. This will result in frozen bank accounts, trigger default clauses in loan agreements and derail commercial transactions. 

Who is Exempt From Companies House Identity Verification Requirements?

You need to know who in your corporate structure needs to be verified and who does not, as this is the first step towards compliance. The verification process specifically targets decision-makers, legal owners and document presenters. 

Individuals Required to Verify:

  • Company Directors: This includes active directors already on the board, as well as any proposed directors. 
  • Persons with Significant Control (PSCs): Anyone holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights within the company.
  • LLP members: Designated members and individual members of Limited Liability Partnerships.
  • Corporate Presenters and Filers: This includes anyone who is able to file statutory documents on behalf of the business and who is authorised as a corporate service provider. 

Individuals Exempt from Verification:

  • Minority shareholders: This includes investors who hold 25% or less of voting rights or shares with no directorship roles. 
  • Standard operational employees: Staff members, senior managers, or executives who do not hold formal director status or PSC responsibilities.
  • Company secretaries: Unless a company secretary also serves as a company director, holds PSC status, or acts as the designated presenter submitting statutory filings, they do not need to verify their identity.

Transition Timelines and Key Deadlines for Companies House Identity Verification Requirements: 

The mandatory Companies House Identity Verification Requirements were implemented in November  2025, but businesses have been given a 12-month grace period to transition. A person’s role, however, will determine when exactly they need to be verified.

Category

Deadline and Requirement

New Company Incorporations

Every named director and PSC needs to be verified immediately before the application to form a new business is submitted. 

New Director Appointments

All newly appointed directors need to complete the identity verification process before their appointment notice is submitted to Companies House. 

Existing Company Directors

If you are an existing director, you’ll need to have verified your identity and provided your personal code when your company files its first annual Confirmation Statement after 18 November 2025. 

Existing PSCs

PSCs will need to provide their verified personal code within a 14-day period that is aligned with their birth month, or when the company files its next Confirmation Statement. 

Third-Party Presenters / Filers

The requirements for individual document presenters will be implemented following the transition period for directors and PSCs. 

How to Fulfil the Companies House Identity Verification Requirements:

There are three different verification pathways that are offered by Companies House in order to accommodate different preferences, tech capabilities and access levels. Once the individual has been verified, they will be assigned a unique Companies House Personal Code, functioning as a permanent digital passport that links the individual across every director role, PSC record or corporate entity they are associated with. This is both now and in the future. 

1. GOV.UK One Login 

This is the fastest, standard digital option for most UK residents. The process is completed online by using a web portal or via the GOV.UK One Login smartphone app. 

  • What you need: A valid, unexpired biometric photo identity document (such as a UK or international biometric passport or a UK photo driving licence).
  • How it works: The app scans the identity document's cryptographic chip and uses your device's camera to match your face to the photo ID.

2. In-Person at the Post Office

This is the best option for those who do not have a biometric photo ID or who do not own a compatible smartphone. All you need to do is choose the Post Office option via the GOV.UK One Login. Once you have received your barcode, you’ll be able to take your identity documents to a Post Office to be verified. 

3. Via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)

If, however, your company works with external professionals (like accountants or law firms), they will be able to perform the verification on your behalf, as long as they are registered with Companies House as an ACSP. 

The ACSP needs to be supervised under UK Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations and will need to follow strict identity protocols. This is the best option for international directors or executives who prefer a managed compliance service. 

Make sure your business stays ahead by implementing these identity verification requirements set by Companies House so that you are compliant and that your business operates efficiently. This way, your business will maintain commercial credibility and ensure you don’t fall victim to unnecessary filing rejections.

For more information on UK and international credit checks or ID scan and biometric checks, be sure to get in touch with one of our expert team members today!