Companies House Identity Verification: The Complete Guide for UK Directors

Companies House Identity Verification: What Directors Need to Do Before 18 November 2026

If you're a UK company director and you've heard whispers about needing to "verify your identity" with Companies House, you're not imagining things — and no, it's not another scam email to ignore. Companies House identity verification is a real, legally binding requirement, and it affects pretty much every director, founder and PSC in the country. For existing directors, the transition period ends on 18 November 2026.

We know compliance changes can feel like a headache dressed up in legal jargon. So let's cut through the noise and explain exactly what Companies House identity verification is, how your Companies House personal code works, when your Companies House ID verification deadline actually falls, and what you need to do about it — all in plain English.

What Is Companies House Identity Verification?

Companies House identity verification is a legal requirement that means directors, People with Significant Control (PSCs) and members of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) must prove they are who they say they are. Director identity verification applies to new appointments and to existing directors alike, so it isn't something that only affects people setting up a company from scratch.

The change comes from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, and it's one of the biggest shake-ups to UK company law in years. Previously, you could set up a limited company with little more than a name and an address — no real checks on whether that information was genuine.

That loophole has been exploited for years by fraudsters setting up shell companies, laundering money and hiding behind fake directors. The new system closes that gap, and it's now live. Mandatory identity verification began on 18 November 2025, and that date marked the start of a 12-month transition period for existing directors and PSCs. The rules below apply to you now, not at some point in the future.

One thing worth knowing: verification for people who file documents at Companies House on behalf of a company is planned for a later date. Companies House has said it will not apply before November 2027, and that it will give at least six months' notice.

Why Has Companies House Introduced ID Verification?

The short answer: Companies House identity verification is about fraud prevention and transparency.

Companies House has historically operated on a "trust but don't verify" basis — it accepted the information you gave it without checking it was accurate. This made the UK company register an easy target for criminals wanting to create fake companies for scams, money laundering or avoiding tax obligations.

By introducing mandatory Companies House identity verification, the government wants to:

Make it harder to set up companies using fake or stolen identities
Improve confidence in the UK's business register for investors, banks and suppliers
Crack down on "phoenix" companies run by disqualified directors under new names
Bring the UK in line with international standards on corporate transparency

For honest small business owners, this is ultimately a good thing. It protects the reputation of being a UK limited company and makes it harder for scammers to impersonate legitimate businesses — which, if you've ever had a supplier or client worry about who they're really dealing with, is a genuine win.

Who Needs to Verify Their Identity?

You'll need to complete Companies House identity verification if you fall into one of these groups:

A director of a UK limited company (new or existing)
A People with Significant Control (PSC) — generally anyone owning more than 25% of shares or voting rights, or who otherwise has significant influence over the company
A member of a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

It doesn't matter whether you're the sole director of a one-person contractor company, a co-founder of a fast-growing startup, or part of a larger business with multiple shareholders — if you fit one of the categories above, director identity verification applies to you.

How Does Companies House Identity Verification Work?

There are two routes to verifying your identity, and it's worth understanding both so you can pick whichever suits you.

Option 1: Verify Directly with GOV.UK

You can verify your identity yourself using the GOV.UK One Login service. This involves:

Creating or using an existing GOV.UK One Login account
Uploading a photo of an accepted ID document (passport or UK driving licence)
Taking a live selfie or short video to match your face to the document
Confirming your personal details match Companies House records

This route is free, and for most people with their documents to hand, it's a fairly quick process. Timing can vary depending on document quality, lighting for your selfie and how smooth your internet connection is, so don't leave it until five minutes before a filing deadline.

Option 2: Verify Through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)

Alternatively, you can verify through an ACSP — an accountant, solicitor or other professional service provider registered with Companies House to carry out identity checks on behalf of clients.

This is a great option if:

You'd rather have a professional handle your director identity verification
You're not confident with the tech side of uploading documents and selfies
You want it bundled in alongside your existing accountancy support

As an ACSP, Liberate Accountants can verify your identity as part of our normal service, so you don't have to navigate it solo.

Your Companies House Personal Code: What It Is and Where to Find It

Once you've successfully verified your identity, Companies House issues you a unique personal code — an 11-character code that is personal to you, not to your company. Think of it like a personal verification number specifically for Companies House purposes.

You'll need to use this code to confirm you have verified:

When you're appointed as a new director, or when you incorporate a company
As an existing director, in your company's next confirmation statement
As a PSC, within your 14-day window (more on that below)

If you're a director of several companies, you only need to verify once. You then use the same personal code to confirm you're verified for each of your appointments, which means giving it in each company's confirmation statement.

It's really important to keep your Companies House personal code somewhere safe and accessible — not scribbled on a Post-it note that gets lost under a coffee cup. You can share it with someone who files on your behalf, such as your accountant, but otherwise keep it private.

If you can't find it, the route depends on how you verified. If you used GOV.UK One Login, sign in to Companies House with the same email address you used to verify and look under "Manage account". If an ACSP verified you, Companies House emailed the code to the address the ACSP provided, so check there or ask them. Storing your Companies House personal code securely from the start (a password manager or dedicated compliance folder works well) saves the hunt.

Companies House ID Verification Deadline: What You Need to Know

Here's where people get tripped up, so let's be crystal clear.

For new directors: Since 18 November 2025, you need to provide your personal code as part of your appointment filing, or when you incorporate a company. You can't complete the process without verifying first — it's built into the filing itself.

For existing directors (appointed before 18 November 2025): You provide your personal code as part of your company's next confirmation statement. The transition period runs for 12 months from 18 November 2025, so it ends on 18 November 2026 — but your own confirmation statement date matters, and it may fall earlier. Check your confirmation statement due date on the Companies House register and work backwards from there.

For PSCs: You have a 14-day window to provide your code, and the dates depend on your situation:

If you're a PSC but not a director, your window is the first 14 days of your birth month. For example, if your birthday is 22 January, your window starts on 1 January.
If you're both a director and a PSC, you provide the code separately for each role.
If you became a PSC after 18 November 2025, you can provide it when you're first added to the register or within 14 days of being added.

You can check the dates of your window on the Companies House register.

Our advice: don't wait until the last minute. Verification itself is quick, but gathering the right documents, dealing with details that don't match, or technical hiccups can eat up time you don't want to lose closer to your Companies House ID verification deadline.

What Happens If You Miss the Companies House ID Verification Deadline?

This isn't a "fill it in whenever you get round to it" situation. Companies House has confirmed real consequences for non-compliance, and they're worth taking seriously:

Criminal offence status — failing to verify when required is an offence under the Act
Filing restrictions — you won't be able to make filings for your company or start a new company until verification is complete
A financial penalty — Companies House can issue one for non-compliance

It's worth being clear that some consequences you might read elsewhere — such as automatic director disqualification or removal from the register — aren't explicitly confirmed in current Companies House guidance, so we won't overstate them here. What is confirmed is enough on its own: this is an enforceable legal requirement, not a box-ticking exercise you can quietly skip, and Companies House has made clear it intends to use its new enforcement powers.

Benefits of Director Identity Verification

It's easy to see Companies House identity verification purely as red tape, but there are genuine upsides worth knowing about:

Reduced fraud risk — it's harder for criminals to use your company details or impersonate directors
Increased credibility — a verified register builds trust with banks, investors and suppliers
Cleaner business environment — fewer shell companies and phoenix businesses undermining honest competitors
Smoother future filings — once verified, you'll use the same personal code across your appointments, which helps when adding new directors or updating PSC details
Protection of your personal brand — if you're a contractor or freelancer operating through a limited company, a verified status adds a layer of professional legitimacy

Put simply, a bit of upfront admin now means less friction later — and a company register that's actually worth something to the people checking it.

Step-by-Step: How to Complete Your Companies House Identity Verification

Here's a simple walkthrough for completing Companies House identity verification yourself via GOV.UK:

Check if you need to verify — confirm your role (director, PSC, LLP member) and company status
Gather your ID documents — a valid UK passport or driving licence works best
Set up GOV.UK One Login — if you don't already have one
Complete the verification steps — upload your ID, take a selfie or video, and confirm your details
Find your Companies House personal code — sign in to Companies House and check "Manage account", then store it securely
Provide your personal code — in your company's confirmation statement if you're an existing director, in your appointment filing if you're new, or through the PSC service within your 14-day window
Diarise your Companies House ID verification deadline — check your confirmation statement date so you don't lose track of when your code needs providing

If any of this feels fiddly, that's exactly where using an ACSP like Liberate Accountants makes life easier.

Common Questions and Pitfalls to Avoid

A few things trip people up with Companies House identity verification, so keep an eye out for these:

Details that don't match — if your date of birth or name on Companies House records doesn't match your ID (for example, after marriage or divorce, or because of a typo from years ago), correct your details first to avoid delays
Expired documents — make sure your passport or driving licence is still valid before starting
Multiple companies — your personal code belongs to you, not to a company, so you verify once and use the same code for each directorship
Overseas directors — if you live outside the UK, you may need additional documentation or to verify through an ACSP rather than GOV.UK directly

How Liberate Accountants Can Help

We get it — between running your business, chasing invoices and trying to have a life outside of spreadsheets, "Companies House identity verification" is not what you want to be spending your evening Googling.

As a registered Authorised Corporate Service Provider, we can carry out your director identity verification as part of our everyday accounting support — no separate appointments, no confusing jargon, no chasing you for documents you've forgotten about. We'll flag your deadline, handle the admin, and make sure your compliance box is ticked properly and on time.

Final Thoughts

Companies House identity verification isn't optional, and it isn't going away — but it also doesn't need to be stressful. Whether you're a brand-new startup founder appointing your first director or a seasoned contractor who's been running your limited company for a decade, the steps are straightforward once you know what's involved.

Get your Companies House personal code sorted, know your deadline, and keep your records tidy. And if you'd rather have someone handle it for you while you focus on actually running your business, that's exactly what we're here for.