The Definitive Guide to Companies House Identity Verification for Directors and PSCs

Why Did Companies House Introduce Identity Verification?

The UK government has introduced a major new law called the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. This is the biggest change to how UK companies work in over 100 years.

In the past, Companies House acted like a passive library. They would store the information people sent them, but they didn't check if it was true. This led to a big problem: fraudsters and scammers were setting up fake companies to hide money or commit crimes.

The new law turns Companies House into an "active gatekeeper". Their job now is to make sure the UK is a safe and honest place to do business. To do this, they want to follow international rules set by the FATF (Financial Action Task Force). By making every person prove who they are, it becomes much harder for criminals to hide behind a company name. For business owners, this change brings more trust and safety to the UK market.

When Do I Need to Verify My Identity for Companies House?

The new identity rules officially started on 18 November 2025. The rules are different depending on whether you are starting a new company or already have one.

• New Companies and Appointments: From 18 November 2025, if you want to start a new company or become a director of an existing one, you must verify your identity first. You cannot finish the paperwork until you have proven who you are.
• Existing Companies: If you already had a company before this date, you have a 12-month "changeover" period to get verified. This means everyone must be verified by mid-November 2026.

For most existing directors, the real deadline is the date of your company’s next Confirmation Statement (the annual update you send to Companies House). If you haven't verified by then, you won't be allowed to file your update, which can lead to your company being closed down.

Who Exactly Needs to Complete the Verification Process?

The law says that almost anyone who owns, runs, or controls a UK business must prove who they are. This applies to you even if you live outside the UK.

The main groups are:

• Company Directors: Every person listed as a director of a UK company.
• Persons with Significant Control (PSCs): These are the people who really own or control the business. This usually means anyone with more than 25% of the shares or voting rights.
• LLP Members: Partners in a Limited Liability Partnership.
• Company Secretaries: Anyone who is officially responsible for filing company documents.

You only need to verify your identity once in your life. Once you get your 11-digit alphanumeric personal code, you can use it for every company you own or run, now and in the future.

How to Verify Your Identity with Companies House (3 Methods)

There are three ways to prove your identity. While the government offers "free" routes, they are often difficult and prone to failure, which is why most professionals choose a managed service.

1. Authorised Corporate Service Provider / ACSP (The Professional & Guaranteed Method)

An ACSP is a professional agent, like FormationsHunt, that is officially approved by Companies House to verify identities on their behalf.

• Who is it for?: This is the best choice for anyone who wants a 100% success rate without the technical stress. It is especially recommended for international directors, people without biometric passports, or those who have had their applications rejected by the government app.
• Why choose FormationsHunt?: For a small £29 fee, we handle the entire process. We review your documents for errors before submission, support all international IDs, and ensure you get your code within 48 hours. We take the pressure off you by managing the technical filing and compliance checks ourselves. If you have any questions during the submission process, you can chat with our expert team directly — completely free of charge — for real-time guidance and instant support. Our team is always available to help, so you get the clarity you need without paying anything extra for support.

2. GOV.UK One Login (The "DIY" Digital Route)

This is a free automated service provided by the government.

• Who is it for?: UK residents with a modern biometric passport and a high level of technical confidence.
• Considerations: Users have reported that the automated system can be challenging if documents are not perfectly formatted or if the smartphone camera struggles with glare. If the system fails to verify you after several attempts, it may restrict access, requiring you to seek professional manual verification through an ACSP or solicitor anyway.

3. The Post Office (The In-Person Method)

You can visit a participating Post Office branch to prove who you are in person.

• Who is it for?: People living in the UK who prefer a face-to-face interaction.
• The Drawbacks: This is not a purely paper process. You must still start the process online and navigate the government's digital portal to get a reference number first. It is also time-consuming, requires a physical trip, and is completely unavailable for anyone outside the UK.

What Is an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)?

An ACSP (also called an "authorised agent") is a company like FormationsHunt that has been checked and licensed by the government. To become an ACSP, a business must be based in the UK and be supervised by a professional body to prevent money laundering.

Many business owners prefer using an ACSP because the government’s free app can sometimes be buggy or hard to use, especially for non-UK residents. An ACSP provides a human touch and professional software to make sure your verification is handled correctly the first time.

What Is a Companies House Personal Code?

Once your identity check is finished, Companies House will give you a unique 11-digit number. This is your Companies House Personal Code.

Think of this like a digital signature that belongs only to you. It is a "lifelong" code. You will need this code whenever you:

• Start a new company.
• Become a director/PSC of another company.
• File your company’s annual Confirmation Statement.

You should keep this code very safe. You should only share it with people you trust, like your accountant or an ACSP like FormationsHunt.

Why Is the 14-Day PSC Verification Deadline Important?

If you are a Person with Significant Control (PSC), which usually means you own more than 25% of the company, the law is very strict about deadlines.

Once you are required to verify, you have a short 14-day window to send your personal code and a "verification statement" to Companies House. This statement is a formal tick-box where you confirm your ID is verified.

The 14-day clock starts at different times for different people:

• Owners who are also Directors: Your window starts the day after your company's Confirmation Statement is due.
• Owners who are NOT Directors: Your window starts on the first day of your birth month. (Example: If you were born in June, your window starts on 1 June).
• New Owners: Your window starts 14 days after you are first added to the company register.

If you miss this 14-day deadline, it is a criminal offence.

Can I Get More Time to Verify My Identity?

If you have a serious problem, like a medical emergency or a major technical failure, you can ask for a 14-day extension. 

However, you must follow these rules:

• Ask early: You must submit your request before your original 14 days are up. If you are already late, you cannot ask for an extension.
• Provide proof: If you ask for more than one extension, a human examiner will look at your case. You may need to show proof, like a doctor's note or a screenshot of a website error.

What Documents Do I Need for Identity Verification?

To meet the government's high standards, you will need to provide specific documents.

You will need:

1. A Valid Photo ID: A passport (from any country) or a UK driving licence.
2. Personal Details: Your full legal name, date of birth, and current home address.
3. Address History: Where you have lived for the last 12 months.
4. Proof of Address: A utility bill (like water or gas) or a bank statement that is less than 3 months old.

Important: If your documents are not in English, you may need a certified translation.

How Do Directors Living Outside the UK Verify Their ID?

If you do not live in the UK, the process can be quite difficult. The UK government's free app is built for UK-style documents and often requires a UK phone number or a UK credit history to pass security questions. Also, international directors cannot go to a UK Post Office.

This is why most international owners choose to use an ACSP like FormationsHunt. We can verify passports from any country in the world, as long as they are "machine-readable" (they have the two lines of text at the bottom of the photo page). We handle the whole process remotely, so you don't have to worry about travel or technical bugs.

What Happens if I Miss the Verification Deadline?

Companies House has new powers to punish people who do not follow these rules.

• For Individuals: You could be fined, get a criminal record, or be banned from being a company director in the UK.
• For the Company: Your company will be "blocked" from filing its annual updates. If you don't file your annual update, Companies House will assume the company is dead and will close it down (strike it off).
• For Your Business Reputation: The public register will show that you are "unverified." This makes it very hard to open a business bank account or get a loan, as banks see "unverified" people as a high risk for fraud.

Why Choose FormationsHunt for Your Identity Verification?

FormationsHunt is one of the leading UK ACSPs. We make these complicated new rules simple and affordable for everyone.

• Official Authority: We are fully registered on the official government ACSP register.
• A Low Flat Fee: We charge just £29. We believe compliance should be affordable for small businesses and startups.
• Global Support: We help both UK residents and people living anywhere else in the world.
• Fast Results: Most verifications are finished within 48 hours of you sending us your documents.

By using FormationsHunt, you get your 11-digit personal code quickly and can get back to what matters: running your business.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Do I have to prove my identity every year?

No. You only do it once. Your personal code is yours for life.

2. What if my name on Companies House is slightly different from my passport?

This is a "data mismatch." You must update your details on the Companies House website to match your passport before you try to verify or you need to provide the reason for the name mismatch during the confirmation statement.

3. I have two different companies. Do I need two codes?

No. One person gets one code. You use that same code for every company role you have.

4. Can I use a driving licence from another country?

No. Only a UK driving licence is accepted by the company house. If you are not in the UK, you can verify through an ACSP using your driving license.

5. Is my home address made public when I verify?

No. Your home address is kept private by Companies House. The public will only see a note saying that your identity has been "verified."

6. What is the difference between a Director and a PSC?

A Director runs the company day-to-day. A PSC (Person with Significant Control) is an owner who holds more than 25% of the shares. Many people are both.

7. Can my business verify its own ID?

No. Only human beings can verify their ID. If a company owns your company, the people who run that other company will eventually need to verify their ID.

8. How do I get my code if I use FormationsHunt?

Once we finish the check, Companies House will send your 11-digit code directly to your email address provided during the verification.