If you've been a director for years and suddenly received a letter from Companies House telling you to verify your identity, you're not alone. Around 6 to 7 million people in the UK need to go through this process by November 2026, and a lot of them aren't sure what it involves, when they need to do it, or what happens if they don't.
The requirement comes from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 — a law designed to make the Companies House register more trustworthy by confirming that the people behind UK companies are who they say they are. The intent is reasonable. The execution is rolling out in phases, and understanding which phase applies to you is the part most people find confusing.
This guide covers the whole thing from scratch — what changed, who's affected, how to verify, and the deadlines that actually matter.
1. What changed and why
Before November 2025, anyone could be named as a director of a UK company without proving their identity to Companies House. The register relied on self-reported information — names, dates of birth, addresses — with no verification. That made it relatively easy to file fraudulent information, create shell companies with fictitious directors, or register companies using stolen identities.
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) changed this. It gave Companies House new powers and responsibilities, including the requirement for all directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) to verify their identity. The aim is straightforward: if your name is on the register as a director, Companies House should be able to confirm you're a real person and that you are who you claim to be.
This isn't a one-off exercise. Identity verification is now a permanent feature of being a company director in the UK. If you're appointed as a director, you verify. If you're already a director, you verify during the transition period. If you stop being a director and get appointed again later, you'll need a valid personal code again.
Source: Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 · GOV.UK: Verify your identity for Companies House
2. Who must verify
The requirement currently applies to two groups:
Directors — every individual director of every UK limited company. This includes both newly appointed directors and those already in post on 18 November 2025. It doesn't matter how long you've been a director, how many companies you direct, or whether the company is active or dormant. If you hold a directorship, you need to verify.
Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) — every individual who meets the PSC criteria (broadly: owns more than 25% of shares, holds more than 25% of voting rights, or has the right to appoint or remove a majority of the board). Many directors of small companies are also the PSC — if that's you, you verify once and it covers both roles.
In practice, for a typical small company with a single director who is also the sole shareholder, this means one person needs to verify once. For a company with multiple directors and a separate PSC structure, each individual needs to verify separately.
3. The rollout timeline
Companies House is implementing identity verification in phases. Understanding where we are in this timeline is important because different rules apply depending on when you were appointed and what type of filing you're making.
4. How to verify: two routes
There are two ways to verify your identity with Companies House. The right one depends on what documents you have and where you're based.
Route 1: GOV.UK One Login (do it yourself)
This is the standard route and the one most UK-based directors should use. You go to the GOV.UK website, create a One Login account (or sign in if you already have one), and verify your identity using a UK passport or UK photocard driving licence. The process involves taking a photo of your document and a short video of your face. If you have a biometric passport, you can use the GOV.UK ID Check app on your phone to read the chip — this is the fastest method.
Once verified, you'll receive a Companies House personal code. That's it — you're done. The whole process takes about 10 to 15 minutes if your documents are valid and the system doesn't flag anything for manual review.
There's also a Post Office route for people who can't verify online — you book an appointment at a participating Post Office, bring your documents in person, and they handle the verification. This is less common but it exists for accessibility reasons.
Route 2: Via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)
An ACSP is a firm registered with Companies House to verify identities on behalf of others. This route exists primarily for directors who can't use Route 1 — typically because they don't have a UK passport or UK driving licence. This is common for international directors, non-UK nationals, or people whose documents aren't compatible with the GOV.UK One Login system.
The ACSP checks your identity using their own accepted documents (which may include foreign passports, national ID cards, or other forms of identification), then confirms your identity to Companies House. You receive your personal code once the ACSP has completed the process.
Unlike Route 1, this isn't free — ACSPs charge for the service and pricing varies between providers. Some accountancy firms and formation agents include it as part of a broader service package, so it's worth checking with your existing provider first.
5. The personal code — what it is and how it works
When you successfully verify your identity, Companies House issues you a personal code. This is an 11-character alphanumeric string (letters and numbers) that serves as proof of your verified identity. Think of it like a unique reference number — it's personal to you, not to any company.
One code, all companies. If you're a director of three different companies, you verify once and use the same personal code for all three. You don't need to verify separately for each directorship.
You provide it to the company, not to Companies House directly. When a company files a confirmation statement (CS01) or appoints a new director (AP01), the filing must include the personal code for each relevant individual. So the company — or its accountant — needs to collect the code from each director. You should keep your personal code somewhere safe and be ready to share it when your company needs to file.
It stays with you. Your personal code doesn't expire with the company. If you resign from one directorship and get appointed to another, you use the same code. If you haven't verified at all, you'll need to complete the process before the new appointment can be filed.
6. Verification windows and deadlines
This is the part that catches most people out. There isn't one single deadline for everyone. Your deadline depends on when you were appointed, what role you hold, and when your company's confirmation statement is due.
The hard backstop: regardless of individual deadlines, all existing directors and PSCs must be verified by 18 November 2026. That's when the 12-month transition period ends.
7. What happens if you don't verify
This isn't optional and the consequences are real. Identity verification is a legal requirement under ECCTA 2023, and non-compliance creates problems at multiple levels.
For the individual: acting as a director without a verified identity is a criminal offence. Consequences include prosecution and a fine through the courts, escalating financial penalties for repeat non-compliance, a note published against your name on the Companies House public register (this feature is coming — it will be visible to anyone who searches for you), and inability to be appointed as a director of any company until you verify.
For the company: if any director is unverified, the company's confirmation statement (CS01) will be rejected. A rejected CS01 means the company cannot fulfil its annual filing obligation — and filing a CS01 late is itself a criminal offence under the Companies Act 2006. So one unverified director can create a cascading compliance failure for the entire company.
For new appointments: the appointment simply cannot be filed. A new director without a personal code cannot be registered at Companies House, which means they can't legally act in the role. This can hold up board changes, company formations, and any transaction that depends on the company having properly appointed officers.
The verification itself is quick — the real risk is leaving it until your CS01 is due and discovering a problem. If you have multiple directors or a PSC structure, make sure everyone has their personal code well before your next filing window. One unverified individual holds up the entire company.
Source: ECCTA 2023, Part 1 · Companies House announcement, November 2025