Companies House identity verification: what accountants need to track
Identity verification is compulsory for company directors. For most of your clients the deadline is their next confirmation statement — here's how to stay ahead of it.
Identity verification is now a legal requirement for company directors and people with significant control (PSCs). It became mandatory on 18 November 2025. Each person verifies once and receives a personal code, which is then used in the company's filings.
When each person has to verify
- New directors: since 18 November 2025, they give their personal code as part of the appointment filing, or when the company is incorporated — so they need to have verified by then.
- Existing directors: by the company's next confirmation statement. GOV.UK says a current director needs to provide their personal code in that filing.
- PSCs: each has a 14-day window to provide their personal code. When it falls depends on when they were registered and whether they are also a director.
Every company files a confirmation statement at least once every 12 months, so for an existing director the company's next statement date is, in practice, the verification deadline.
What happens if someone doesn't verify
GOV.UK warns that a director who keeps acting without verifying commits an offence, and that missing the identity verification requirements can lead to prosecution and a fine through the courts, or a financial penalty. The confirmation statement also needs each director's personal code, so one unverified director holds up the company's filing.
How verification works
- Directly with Companies House, through GOV.UK One Login and its identity check. It is free of charge.
- Or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP): an agent registered with Companies House and with a UK anti-money laundering supervisor, which can verify people on their behalf and may charge a fee.
Either route ends the same way: a personal code the director gives for the company's filings. Some practices register as an ACSP so they can offer this to clients who find the online check difficult.
Tracking it across a client list
The hard part is not the verification itself but knowing who still needs it and by when. For each company, list the current directors and PSCs, note who has verified, and keep the next confirmation statement date beside them. Keep it current: GOV.UK says that where someone does not comply, Companies House will publish a note against their name on the public register.
FilingKeeper already tracks every client's confirmation statement deadline, with reminders well before the 14-day window closes, so the verification checkpoint never arrives unannounced.
Frequently asked questions
When did Companies House identity verification become compulsory?
On 18 November 2025.
When must an existing director verify their identity?
By the company's next confirmation statement, which needs each director's personal code.
Can an accountant verify a client's identity for Companies House?
Yes, if the firm is an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP): registered with Companies House and supervised by a UK anti-money laundering supervisory body.
What is a Companies House personal code?
The code a person receives once they have verified their identity. It is used in company filings to show they have verified.
Source: GOV.UK, "Verifying your identity for Companies House". This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm each client's position against current Companies House guidance.
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Rules can change, so confirm on GOV.UK before you rely on a date or an amount. Sources: