Identity verification is a new legal requirement, as part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, which aims to tackle economic crime, support economic growth, improved transparency and more accurate and trusted information on the Companies House registers, so reduce the risk of fraud

You will need to verify your identity to confirm you are who you claim to be and help to deter people intending to use companies for illegal purposes.

The Act also gives Companies House wider powers to be more proactive in company formations, and more enforcement powers which includes sharing information with partners.

You’ll need to verify your identity if you are:

a director;

the equivalent of a director – this includes members, general partners and managing officers;

a Person of Significant Control (PSC);

someone who files for a company - for example, a company secretary.

In most cases, you’ll only need to verify your identity once. You must not verify again unless we tell you to.

This depends on your role, and when you started that role. This will take place over the next year.

Online

You can verify online if you have the identity documents or information required. This route uses GOV.UK One Login to verify your identity and is free of charge.

You’ll need one of the following types of photo ID:

biometric passport from any country

UK photo driving licence (full or provisional)

UK biometric residence permit (BRP)

UK biometric residence card (BRC)

UK Frontier Worker permit (FWP)

This process will ask you some simple questions to find the best way for you to verify your identity online. Depending on your answers, you’ll then be guided to verify using a GOV.UK mobile phone app or in your web browser.

If you do not have any of these types of ID but live in the UK, you may be able to verify with bank or building society details instead. You’ll need to use the ‘Verify your identity for Companies House’ service to find out if you can verify this way.

In person at a Post Office

If you cannot verify online and you live in the UK, you may be able to verify your identity in person at a Post Office. Use the ’Verify your identity for Companies House’ service first to find out if you can verify this way. This route uses GOV.UK One Login to verify your identity and is free of charge.

Using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)

You can ask an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) to verify your identity on your behalf. For example, an accountant or solicitor. This is also known as a Companies House authorised agent.

You can do this from any country, but your agent must register with Companies House in order to become authorised. They must be registered with a UK Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory body.

When an agent has agreed to verify your identity, you will need to provide documents from an approved list as evidence of your identity. They may charge a fee for their services.

You will need to self verifiy using your home address, as Companies House will carry out online checks etc against personal details held. The business address service we provide can be used as a Directors Service Address, which is different to the Usual Residential Address that is kept on file at Companies House. The URA is kept private and not disclosed online, but can be shared with Companies House partners - such as the police.

When you have successfully verified, you’ll get a unique identifier known as a Companies House personal code. The code is personal to you, not your company or a company you work for.

From autumn 2025, you’ll need it for various reasons. For example:

when you file your confirmation statement

if you are appointed as a director

if you become a person with significant control (PSC)

If you are currently a director or a PSC, you’ll need to use your Companies House personal code to connect your verified identity to our records. This is a legal requirement, and will ensure that we know the correct identity is linked to any roles you hold.

Only share the personal code with people you trust

You may need to share this code with people you trust to file on your behalf, or for your company. Keep this information secure, as you would with other unique codes such as your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) for HMRC.

Identity verification makes it much more difficult for criminals to impersonate someone, but not impossible.

What you need to do with your Companies House personal code

This depends on your role, and when you started that role.

If you’re a director or PSC, you’ll need to use your Companies House personal code to connect your verified identity to our records for each role you hold. This is part of the legal requirement to verify your identity for Companies House.

Directors

If you’re currently a director, from autumn 2025 you’ll need to provide your personal code as part of your company’s next confirmation statement filing.

If you become a director after autumn 2025, you’ll need to provide it as part of your appointment filing or when you incorporate a company.

People with significant control (PSCs)

You’ll need to provide your personal code to Companies House for your role as a PSC. This requirement will come into force from autumn 2025.

You will not be able to:

make any filings

start a new company or entity

If you do not comply with identity verification requirements on time, you will be committing an offence and may have to pay a financial penalty or fine.

Directors and PSC

Once it becomes a legal requirement, any Directors and/or PSC’s continuing to act without verification will be committing an office and could even be disqualified as a Director. The other Directors and the Company itself may also be committing an offence - remember that Companies House now has more powers for enforcement.

As they move towards the Autumn, you may want to start establishing who in your company needs to provide the ID and start the self verification process. If you are preparing a confirmation statement in the next few months it would be well worth completing all this at the same time.

We would recommend staying up to date by checking the Companies House website