Questions and Answers
How do I verify my identity online for Companies House?
My accountant has advised me that as a company director, I need to verify my identity online before any more company documents can be filed with Companies House. They say I need a personal code. How do I get this?
Last updated 7 Nov 2025 | First published 7 Nov 2025
By Helen Wood, CA 2 min read
Directors' Series
Under recent rule changes designed to prevent fraudulent use of Companies House, directors of limited companies and People with Significant Control (PSCs) need to verify their identity to be able to continue filing documents with Companies House.
Directors and PSCs can pay an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) to verify their ID, but using one of the the GOV.UK One Login verification routes is free, so they are likely to be the more popular methods.
What is the personal code?
The personal code is provided to you once you have verified your ID. It is an 11-character code which you keep, proving this verification has taken place. It is personal to you as an individual so if you are a director of multiple companies, you will be able to use it for each company to confirm that your ID has been verified - you do not need a separate code for each directorship.
What are the free ways to get the personal code?
The free ways to get the personal code to verify your ID are through the GOV.UK One Login website, the GOV.UK One Login app and in person at a participating Post Office.
GOV.UK One Login website
Log on to the GOV.UK One Login website. If you do not have a GOV.UK One Login account yet, you can create one here. You will be asked several questions and directed to either use the GOV.UK One Login smartphone app to verify your ID, or if your form of ID or phone are not suitable for the app, stay on the website to answer security questions.
If you are directed to stay on the website you must have a UK passport or driving licence, or your national insurance number plus a UK bank or building society current account. Security questions may be about spending on your account, credit cards and loans you hold or your mobile phone contract.
Gov.uk One Login app
If you are directed to the app, the full instructions for downloading and using the app to verify your ID are found here.
If the ID check on the app does not verify you successfully, you can try again or switch to the in-person method below.
In person at a Post Office
To verify your ID at a Post Office, first enter your details on the GOV.UK One Login website then go to a participating Post Office where they will scan your photo ID and take a photo of you to verify you are the same person. The types of ID you can use are listed here.
Where do I find my personal code once I have verified my ID?
If you verified your ID using your GOV.UK One Login – as you will have done for all three of the methods above – sign in to Companies House and your personal code will be in the Manage Account section. Use this link to connect your Companies House and GOV.UK One Login accounts, if they are not already connected.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Companies House identity verification requirements come into place from 18th November 2025 to 18th November 2026. The date by which individual directors and PSCs need to have identity verification in place depends on personal and company circumstances.
Companies House are bringing in identity verification rules to help prevent criminals from filing fraudulent company documents and to ensure the public can trust the information on the register is accurate and reliable.
No, directors are not the only role affected by the new identity verification rules. PSCs must also have their identities verified for Companies House.
Last updated 7 Nov 2025 | First published 7 Nov 2025
This article is intended to inform rather than advise and is based on legislation and practice at the time. Taxpayer’s circumstances do vary and if you feel that the information provided is beneficial it is important that you contact us before implementation. If you take, or do not take action as a result of reading this article, before receiving our written endorsement, we will accept no responsibility for any financial loss incurred.
Helen Wood, CA
Helen is a qualified chartered accountant (CA) and joined TaxAssist in 2025 following three years as a freelance content writer for clients in the tax and accounting publishing sector. Prior to this, She spent 17 years at Big Four and Top 10 accountancy firms. Helen writes clear and helpful articles on tax and accounting for businesses and individuals.
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