Companies House Identity Verification: Step-by-Step Guide for Directors

From 18 November 2025, every company director and person with significant control (PSC) in the UK must verify their identity with Companies House. The transition period runs until November 2026 — and your specific deadline is tied to your next confirmation statement.

This guide walks through both verification methods, the documents you need, and how the personal code system works once you're verified.

Who Must Verify

Three groups of people must complete identity verification:

1. Company directors — all directors of UK-registered companies, including dormant companies and SPVs
2. People with significant control (PSCs) — anyone who holds more than 25% of shares or voting rights, or who exercises significant influence or control
3. New appointees — anyone appointed as a director or registered as a PSC from 18 November 2025 onwards must verify before the appointment can be registered

If you're both a director and a PSC of the same company, you verify once — your personal code covers both roles. But if you hold roles across multiple companies, you must provide your personal code separately for each company.

Your Deadline

18 November 2025 is not a deadline — it's the start of the 12-month transition period. Your actual deadline depends on your role:

Existing directors: You must have your identity verified by the time you file your company's next confirmation statement after 18 November 2025. Your Companies House personal code must be included in that filing. Check your confirmation statement due date at Companies House.

PSCs who are not directors: Your deadline falls within the first 14 days of your birth month during the transition period. Companies House assigns specific "appointed days" to spread verification across the year.

New directors and PSCs (appointed after 18 November 2025): You must verify before your appointment can be registered with Companies House. There is no grace period.

Method 1: GOV.UK One Login (Online)

This is the direct route — you verify with Companies House yourself through the GOV.UK One Login system.

What you need:

• A GOV.UK One Login account
• One of these photo IDs:
  • Biometric passport (any country)
  • UK photo driving licence
  • UK biometric residence permit (BRP)
  • UK biometric residence card (BRC)
  • UK Frontier Worker permit (FWP)
• Your current address and the year you moved in

Step-by-step process:

1. Go to GOV.UK identity verification for Companies House
2. Sign in or create a GOV.UK One Login account
3. Upload or scan your photo ID (the system uses facial recognition to match your photo ID to a selfie)
4. Confirm your address details
5. Complete the verification — you'll receive a Companies House personal code
6. Provide this personal code when filing your next confirmation statement

The online process takes about 10–15 minutes if your documents are ready. Results are usually immediate, though some cases are referred for manual review.

Common issues with GOV.UK One Login:

• Passport must be biometric (has the chip symbol on the cover). Older passports without a chip won't work.
• Photo matching can fail in poor lighting or if your appearance has changed significantly since your ID photo was taken.
• If your name on Companies House records doesn't match your ID, you may need to update your records first.

Method 2: Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)

If you can't use GOV.UK One Login — for example, you don't have a biometric passport or UK driving licence — you can verify through an ACSP.

ACSPs are professionals already supervised under anti-money laundering (AML) regulations:

• Accountants
• Solicitors
• Company formation agents
• Other AML-supervised professionals

Your ACSP verifies your identity using standard KYC (know your customer) documents and then registers your verification with Companies House. You'll receive the same personal code.

When to use an ACSP:

• You don't have a biometric passport or UK photo driving licence
• You're an overseas director without one of the accepted UK documents
• GOV.UK One Login verification failed or was referred for manual review
• You already use an accountant or formation agent who offers this service

Cost: Some ACSPs may charge for the verification service. The fee varies — check with your existing accountant or solicitor first, as many include it as part of their service.

The Personal Code System

Once verified, you receive a unique Companies House personal code. Here's how it works:

• One code per person — your personal code stays the same regardless of how many companies you're associated with
• Used at filing time — you provide the code when filing confirmation statements, not as a one-off registration
• Must be provided per company — if you're a director of three companies, you include the code in each company's confirmation statement
• Stays valid — you don't need to re-verify annually (though Companies House may require re-verification in certain circumstances)

Keep your personal code secure. Treat it like a password — don't share it, and store it where you can find it when your next confirmation statement is due.

What Happens If You Don't Verify

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduced this requirement. Non-compliance carries:

• Civil penalties — directors who fail to verify can face civil penalties of up to £10,000 for non-compliance with Companies House requirements
• Filing blocks — you won't be able to file a valid confirmation statement without a verified personal code, which means your company may fall behind on its filing obligations
• Downstream consequences — an unfiled confirmation statement can trigger strike-off proceedings, affecting your company's status and credit standing

The penalties reinforce the fact that this isn't optional. Every director and PSC needs to verify within the transition period.

Practical Checklist

• Check your confirmation statement due date at Companies House — this is your verification deadline
• Choose your verification method: GOV.UK One Login (if you have a biometric passport or UK driving licence) or ACSP
• Gather your photo ID and address details
• Complete verification and save your personal code securely
• If you have multiple companies, note that you'll need to provide the code for each one at their next confirmation statement
• If you're a PSC but not a director, check your birth month deadline

Not sure where you stand? Use our free identity verification readiness checker to get a personalised assessment and next steps.

Sources

• Verify your identity for Companies House — GOV.UK
• Making identity verification simple, secure and trusted — Companies House blog
• Understanding identity verification for PSCs — Companies House blog