Over 300,000 individuals have already chosen to verify their identity voluntarily, the initial move towards greater transparency in company ownership and a measure against rising large-scale fraud.
Companies House has now confirmed that mandatory identity verification will take effect from 18 November 2025 for new and existing company directors and people with significant control of a company (PSCs). Essentially, proof of identity will be required to set up, manage, own, or control a UK company.
Identity verification will be rolled out gradually over 12 months for existing directors and PSCs, with Companies House estimating that 6 to 7 million individuals will be required to verify their identity by mid-November 2026. The identity verification will happen as part of the annual confirmation statement filing.
Who is impacted
Identity verification will be required for:
- Directors;
- The equivalent of a director – this includes members, general partners and managing officers;
- A person with significant control; or
- Someone who files for a company – for example, a company secretary.
What’s happening and when
Directors
- Existing directors will need to confirm they have verified their identity at the same time as they file their next annual confirmation statement, during a 12-month transition period;
- Directors of more than one company will need to complete this for each company; and
- New directors will need to verify their identity to incorporate a company or be appointed to an existing company.
People with significant control
The requirements for PSCs are a little more detailed and vary depending on individual circumstances. Each PSC must verify their identity, provide their Companies House personal code, and submit a confirmation statement within a unique 14-day window.
- Both a director and PSC of the same company:
– Provide their personal code separately for each role;
– As a director, provide the code in the company’s confirmation statement; and
– As a PSC, provide it using a separate service within 14 days of their company’s confirmation statement date. - A PSC but not the director of the same company:
– Provide their personal code within 14 days of their birth month. For example, if their date of birth is 22 January, their 14 day period will begin on 1 January. - A PSC after 18 November 2025:
– Provide their personal code within 14 days of being added to the Companies House register.
Limited partnerships and other corporate entities
Compulsory requirements for limited partnerships, corporate directors of companies, corporate members of limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and officers of corporate PSCs will commence at a later date. Reforms to limited partnerships will take place no sooner than spring 2026.
Identity verification process
Companies House will be in contact with companies to tell them what their directors and PSCs need to do to meet identity verification requirements.
From 18 November, directors and PSCs will also be able to check the Companies House register to see identity verification due dates for all their roles.
Individuals can verify their identity with Companies House through GOV.UK One Login. There are 3 ways to verify with GOV.UK:
- With an app;
- By answering security questions online; or
- At a Post Office.
The method used depends on the device, if photo ID is available and what type of ID it is.
In most cases, individuals will only need to verify their identity once. After successful verification, a unique identifier will be provided known as a Companies House personal code.
A personal code will be required for various purposes, including filing a confirmation statement. It should only be shared with trusted individuals who file documents on the individual’s behalf – such as an accountant – and must be stored securely.
How M+A Partners can help
For any queries on filing information with Companies House or the new identity verification requirements, please get in touch with your usual M+A Partners’ contact or email enquiries@mapartners.co.uk