With effect from 18 November 2025, identity verification is now a mandatory pre-condition for appointing new directors and registering People with Significant Control (PSCs) for UK companies. Existing directors and PSCs must verify their identities by the relevant 2026 deadline for their role, if they have not already done so.
If identity verification is missed, Companies House may reject company filings, block new appointments, and take enforcement action.
Introduced in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, these are part of the UK’s efforts to prevent corporate fraud and increase the accuracy of information on the Companies House register.
If you’re looking to start a business in the UK, or you’re already operating one, these are important changes to take note of as they directly affect how directors and PSCs are appointed. In this article, we discuss:
- Who needs to verify
- 2026 deadlines for identity verification
- What identity verification means for businesses
- How to verify with Companies House
- How Hawksford can help you as an ACSP
- After verification: Companies House personal code
- Frequently asked questions
Who needs to verify
Identity verification is compulsory for the following:
- Individual directors of UK companies as well as directors of overseas entities that are registered in the UK
- Members of limited liability partnerships (LLPs), who are treated as the LLP’s equivalent of directors under UK law
- PSCs identified by criteria such as holding over 25% share or voting rights, or having the power to appoint or remove majority of the board of directors
At a later stage, this requirement is expected to extend to limited partnerships, corporate directors, corporate LLP members, and officers linked to corporate PSCs.
2026 deadlines for identity verification
One important point to stress is that an individual only needs to verify once. That single verification then applies across all roles and companies they are involved with. The following summarises the requirements your company needs to follow for new appointments and for existing directors and PSCs:
New appointments
From 18 November 2025, identity verification is a statutory pre-condition for appointing a new director or registering a new PSC. Verification must be completed before the appointment filing is submitted.
In other words, the process has changed. The AP01 form for appointing a new director, or equivalent filing, will not be accepted unless the individual has already verified their identity. This is a significant change for companies that are used to making appointments quickly and formalising them later. Going forward, verification must come first.
For a new PSC, they may complete the identity check and provide the personal code when they are first added to Companies House, or within 14 days after that. However, if the PSC is included at incorporation or notified using a PSC01 filing, the personal code will be needed at the point of submission.
Existing directors and PSCs
For existing directors, the verification deadline is tied to your company’s next confirmation statement (CS01). By the time that statement is due in 2026, each director must have completed identity verification and must provide their personal verification code as part of the filing. If any director has not been verified, the confirmation statement cannot be filed.
This effectively staggers deadlines across the year. Some companies will need to act early while others may have until later in the year. Missing the deadline may result in penalties and further follow-up from Companies House.
For existing PSCs, the deadline will depend on their role. If the PSC is also a director, their verification will typically align with the confirmation statement process.
If the PSC is not a director, their verification must be completed within 14 days of the start of their birth month. Additionally, if the PSC or director holds roles across several companies, they may have multiple deadlines to manage. To avoid confusion, it is therefore crucial to verify early before any filing is due.
What identity verification means for businesses
Essentially, anyone who owns, controls, manages or formally represents a company must now confirm their identity. From a governance standpoint, this is a major shift. Corporate directorship in the UK is no longer anonymous. Failing to comply will therefore constitute an offence and can result in financial penalties, inability to make statutory filings, rejection of new company registrations or company strike-off.
How to verify with Companies House
Verification involves presenting government-issued documents, such as a biometric passport or UK driving licence, and matching it to the individual. This can be done through:
- GOV.UK One Login online service
- In person at a Post Office
- An Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)
What is an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)?
ACSPs, also known as Companies House authorised agents, are organisations that Companies House has approved to provide identity verification services. To qualify, they must be based in the UK and meet stringent standards including being supervised by one of the UK’s 25 Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory bodies. All third-party agents who file information on behalf of companies will need to be registered as an ACSP by spring 2026.
Hawksford is officially registered as an ACSP with Companies House and can assist with verifying your company directors and PSCs.
How Hawksford can help you as an ACSP
While individual directors, PSCs and LLP members have the option to verify their identity directly with Companies House, many may prefer to do this through an ACSP. We see this being the case especially for overseas-based directors, who may face difficulty with accessing the GOV.UK website, receiving SMS security codes or having their passport recognised during the automated checks.
In our experience, these are some of the more common issues overseas-based individuals encounter when verifying directly. Some also prefer not to use the system themselves, in which case our team can support.
Using a secure software-based solution, we can facilitate the verification process, ensuring compliance and accuracy without the need for a biometric ID. Our team can assist with verifying the identities of directors and PSCs who are nationals in other countries, streamlining the process for international clients and removing common barriers to compliance.
As an authorised agent, Hawksford is also perfectly placed to manage filings with Companies House both now and in the future, for example, when using an ACSP becomes mandatory for third-party filings.
After verification: Companies House personal code
Once identity verification is completed, a Companies House personal code will be issued. This is a unique 11-character identifier that confirms an individual has been verified.
How the code is issued depends on how verification is completed. Individuals who verify directly through the Companies House service can access their code by email or through their account. Those verified through an ACSP will receive the code by email.
Each person receives one code only, and that code can be used across all roles, companies, and filings. Whether someone is a director of one company or ten, the same code applies.
The code is used whenever verification needs to be demonstrated. This includes confirmation statements, new appointments, incorporations, and PSC notifications. Note that certain filings cannot proceed without this code.
Where support is needed with company filings, the code can be shared with your accountant or ACSP. It should, however, be protected in the same way as other sensitive corporate credentials. If a code is compromised, Companies House can issue a replacement and cancel the original.
For more information, please get in touch if you have any questions about how these changes affect you, or if you need support with verification.
Frequently asked questions
Do overseas directors need to verify?
Yes. Nationality and location are not relevant. If someone is an individual director of a UK company and overseas company, they must verify their identity in the same way as a UK-based director.
How do I find a registered ACSP?
Companies House maintains a public list of registered ACSPs. ACSPs can choose to be included on this list voluntarily, which can be a helpful starting point when you’re looking for providers. These are typically accountants, solicitors, and professional service providers that have been formally authorised to carry out identity verification on behalf of others.
How does the ACSP process work?
Simply provide the individual’s identity documents to our team and we can assist with completing the required verification checks. For directors and PSCs who are verifying from abroad, this can help with meeting key deadlines and reducing the risk of delays.
Once verification is successful, we will confirm the outcome to Companies House on your behalf. Companies House will then allocate the personal code to use across any company roles and filings.
Do I need to verify for every company I direct?
No. You only need to verify once. Identity verification is linked to the individual, not the company. Once verified, you will receive a unique personal code. That code can be reused across all companies and appointments in the UK.
What if I hold multiple roles?
The same principle applies. Whether you’re a director, a PSC or an LLP member, one verification covers all roles. You can simply use your personal code whenever Companies House needs to confirm your verified status.
Will the public see my status?
Yes, to a degree. While Companies House will not publish your identity documents, the public register will show whether you’ve complied with identity verification requirements. If you fail to verify by the relevant deadline, Companies House may add a public note to the register.
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