Directors – How to verify your identity for Companies House
What are the new Companies House rules?
New Companies House rules aim to ensure compliance with filing deadlines, improve the accuracy of filed documents, prevent fraudulent use of the Companies House register for criminal gain and prevent the public from being misled. Read our article here to find out more about the wider changes.
Who must verify their identity?
Statutory directors and People with Significant Control (PSCs) must verify their identities using a method approved by Companies House. The purpose of this requirement is to reduce fraudulent use of the register by criminals and ensure the register contains only legitimate filings.
When is the deadline?
The deadline to provide your identity verification as a director or PSC will depend on your situation.
Existing companies
From 18th November 2025, directors must verify their identity before filing the company’s next confirmation statement. Proof of this verification must be included at the confirmation statement filing. Proof is given in the form of a personal code which you will receive after successfully verifying your identity.
New companies
If a company is newly incorporated after 18th November 2025, all directors must provide their personal code as part of the company registration process.
People with Significant Control (PSCs)
If you are a director and a PSC, you will need to provide your personal code within 14 days of the company filing its confirmation statement. This is in addition to including your personal code when you filed the confirmation statement itself.
If you are a PSC but not a director, you must provide your personal code within the first 14 days of your birth month. For instance, if your birthday is 21st April, you must provide your personal code by 14th April 2026.
If you become a PSC after 18th November 2025, you must provide your personal code within 14 days of being added to the register as the PSC.
How do I verify my identity?
You can verify your identity via two different methods:
- with Companies House directly, for free; or
- via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), for a fee.
You may need to choose your verification route based on which identity documents you possess.
Companies House no-cost route
There are three separate ways to verify your identity via the no-cost route.
- GOV.UK One Login app
- GOV.UK website, answering questions about your bank account and other security questions
- At a Post Office, after entering details of photo ID on the website first
The types of ID accepted are as follows:
| Route | ID form accepted | Mobile phone requirement | Other |
| GOV.UK One Login app |
Biometric passport |
iPhone: iOS 15 or above iPhone 6s or newer for UK driving licence iPhone 7 or newer for other photo ID Android: android 10 or above All: Working camera |
|
| Website | UK passport UK photocard driving licence UK bank or building society current account |
N/A | Answer security questions about your finances |
| Post Office | UK passport non-UK passport UK photo driving licence EU photocard driving licence National identity photocard from EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein |
Enter photo ID details on the website and go to a participating Post Office to have your ID scanned alongside a photo taken of you. |
ACSP route
ACSPs can accept a wider range of documents as proof of identity, but the exact documents which an individual ACSP will accept will depend on whether they use machine verification technology or human checking.
The full list of approved documents and the combinations in which they must be provided can be found here.
What happens if I don’t verify my identity?
If you are a director or PSC and you don’t verify your identity on time, you won’t be able to make any Companies House filings and you won’t be able to incorporate a new company. You will be committing an offence and face a penalty or fine and could even be disqualified as a company director.
The company may be committing an offence by having an unverified director. If the company is delayed from filing its documents on time due to your lack of identity verification, it may also face late filing penalties.
Who bears the cost of identity verification?
If you use an ACSP to verify your identity as a director (rather than the free Companies House route), you may question whether you must bear that cost personally, or if it is an expense of the company. HMRC has not issued specific guidance on this matter, therefore current advice is that if the company pays for the verification costs, it would be treated as a benefit in kind for tax purposes. For further details, see our Q&A on this topic here.
Need some help?
If you have any further questions, contact to our team at TaxAssist Accountants Berkhamsted for advice on verifying your identity for Companies House on 01494 778900.
Last updated: 6th October 2025