Companies House identity verification: what every director must do now

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 changed something fundamental about running a UK company: Companies House now has to know who you actually are. Since 18 November 2025, identity verification is mandatory for new directors and people with significant control — and existing directors are being brought into the regime at their company's next confirmation statement. This guide covers what's required, the deadlines, and how to get verified without drama.

What changed, in one paragraph

For over 150 years, Companies House registered whatever it was sent — it had no power to check that 'John Smith' existed. The 2023 Act turned it from a passive register into an active gatekeeper: directors and PSCs must prove their identity, either directly with Companies House or through an authorised agent, before filings are accepted. The goal is squeezing out fraudulent incorporations and anonymous control; the practical effect is one more compliance step for every legitimate company.

Who has to verify — and when

• New directors: verification is required at appointment — since 18 November 2025, an unverified person cannot be appointed.
• Existing directors: brought in on a rolling basis, tied to the company's next confirmation statement after the rules took effect. That statement is the deadline that matters for most established companies.
• People with significant control (PSCs): PSCs who are also directors verify once and are covered. PSCs who are not directors must verify within 14 days of the start of their date-of-birth month once called on.
• Anyone filing on a company's behalf also falls within the regime — which is why agents and software providers now run identity checks before submitting anything.

The Personal Code

Verifying successfully earns you an 11-character Companies House Personal Code. It's yours as an individual, not the company's: verify once and the code covers every directorship and PSC position you hold, now and in future. You'll use it when filings that involve you go in — confirmation statements, appointments and the like. Treat it like a password: keep it private, but you can safely share it with professionals filing on your behalf.

Don't confuse it with the company's authentication code — the 6-character code issued at incorporation that acts as the company's electronic signature for Companies House filings. Every online filing still needs that too. Lost authentication codes can only be re-sent by letter to the registered office, which typically takes up to 10 working days — a genuinely annoying delay if you discover it the week a deadline lands.

How verification actually works

Verification is done digitally and takes a few minutes: photo ID (UK driving licence or a passport) plus a face scan from your phone, matched biometrically. You can verify free directly through GOV.UK One Login, or through an authorised provider as part of a filing. Either route produces the same Personal Code.

If your ID documents don't work digitally, there's a route through the Post Office, and authorised agents can run enhanced checks for edge cases — non-resident directors, for example, may need certified proof of address alongside the biometric check.

What happens if you ignore it

An unverified director can't be appointed, and continuing to act as a director without verifying once required is a criminal offence for both the individual and the company — with filings blocked as the immediate practical consequence. Since blocked filings cascade into late confirmation statements and late accounts (each with their own penalties and strike-off risk), the sensible move is simply to verify early rather than treat the deadline as a challenge.

Where we fit in

When we handle a formation, director appointment or confirmation statement for you, the identity-verification step is built into the job — we tell you exactly what's needed, you do the phone check in a couple of minutes, and the filing goes in clean. If you're not sure whether you or a co-director have been called into the regime yet, message us with your company number and we'll check where you stand for free.