Companies House identity verification is no longer an optional preparation step for people forming or controlling UK companies. Since 18 November 2025, identity checks have been a legal requirement for new directors and people with significant control, commonly called PSCs. Existing directors and PSCs are being brought into the system during a 12-month transition period, with deadlines linked to their company roles.
For a new business owner, the practical message is simple: identity verification should now sit near the top of the incorporation checklist. Leaving it until the application is ready to submit can cause delays, especially where several directors are involved or personal details do not match the filing.
What the new Companies House rules mean
The reforms are designed to make the Companies House register more accurate and reduce the risk of people using false or stolen identities to create or control companies. Directors, PSCs and certain equivalent officers must prove that they are who they claim to be.
After successful verification, each person receives a Companies House personal code. That code must then be used to connect the verified identity to every relevant appointment or PSC role held by that person.
What new directors must do before registration
A person becoming a director on or after 18 November 2025 must provide their personal code as part of the incorporation or appointment filing. This applies whether the person is joining a newly registered company or being appointed to an existing one.
Where a new company has two or more directors, each director needs to complete their own identity check and obtain their own code. One director cannot verify on behalf of the others, and the code belongs to the individual rather than the company.
A sensible order is to confirm the proposed directors, check that their names and dates of birth are consistent across their identification and formation details, complete the GOV.UK ID check or use an authorised agent, and securely record each personal code before the final filing.
A practical formation example
Imagine two founders are registering a limited company. One verifies immediately, while the second waits until the application is being completed. If the second person has trouble with photo ID or needs to visit a Post Office, the incorporation cannot be finished as planned. Completing both checks before choosing the filing date avoids a last-minute delay.
How to complete the GOV.UK ID check
The free Companies House service uses GOV.UK One Login. Depending on the documents available, a person may be guided to verify through an app, by answering security questions online, or by entering photo ID details before attending a participating Post Office.
Accepted documents can include a biometric passport from any country, a UK photocard driving licence and certain UK immigration documents. Applicants generally also need their current address, the year they moved there and their own GOV.UK One Login.
Anyone unable to complete the process directly can ask an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, or ACSP, to verify them. This may be an accountant, solicitor or company formation professional registered with Companies House and supervised under UK anti-money laundering rules. An agent may charge a fee.
Understanding the Companies House personal code
The personal code is an 11-character identifier issued after successful verification. It is personal to the individual and remains the same even if that person is a director of several companies.
A director with several companies verifies once, then uses the same code to connect their identity to each directorship. The same code can also be used for a PSC role, although it must be supplied separately for that role.
Keep the code secure and share it only with a trusted person who files on your behalf.
What existing directors need to do in 2026
Existing directors are not all working to one universal deadline. During the transition period, a current director must provide their personal code through the company’s next confirmation statement filing. If someone is a director of several companies, the code must be supplied for each company.
This makes confirmation statement planning more important under the Companies House rules 2026. A company may be unable to file its confirmation statement unless all directors have completed the required verification steps. Directors should check the due dates for every company they manage.
Natural related topics include choosing a business structure, how to register a limited company and understanding annual confirmation statements.
PSC verification follows a separate timetable
PSC verification can be overlooked because its deadline does not always match the director deadline. Every PSC has a 14-day period in which to provide their personal code and verification statement.
If a person is both a director and a PSC of the same company, the code must be used separately for both roles. The director code is provided through the confirmation statement, while PSC details are submitted through the dedicated PSC verification service. The PSC window begins the day after the company’s confirmation statement date.
A PSC who is not a director generally has a 14-day period beginning on the first day of their birth month. A person who becomes a PSC after 18 November 2025 can normally provide the code when first added to the register or within 14 days.
What happens if verification is missed
Failing to meet an identity verification requirement may amount to an offence and can lead to a financial penalty, prosecution or a court fine. An unverified person may also be prevented from being appointed as a new director or registering a new company.
A missed director deadline can also block the confirmation statement process, creating a compliance problem for the company and the individual. Companies House has said that non-compliance information may be shown on the public register.
Frequently asked questions
Do all new directors need Companies House identity verification?
Yes. Each individual becoming a director must verify their own identity and provide their personal code during incorporation or appointment. Another director’s code cannot be used for them.
Can an accountant complete the verification?
An accountant can verify a client only if the firm is registered as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider. The agent will need approved identity evidence and may charge for the service.
Is director verification the same as PSC verification?
The identity check is normally completed once, but the personal code must be connected separately to each role. A person who is both a director and a PSC must meet the filing process and deadline for both positions.
Do I need a new code for every company?
No. The same personal code can be used across multiple companies and roles, but it must be supplied for each appointment or PSC record that needs to be linked.
Prepare before the filing deadline
The system adds a genuine compliance step to company formation, but it is manageable when handled early. New directors should verify before the incorporation paperwork is ready, check that personal details match, store their codes securely and make sure every director and PSC understands their responsibilities.
Existing companies should review upcoming confirmation statement dates and PSC windows now. Treating Companies House identity verification as routine company administration will help prevent blocked filings and avoidable penalties.
