Companies House Identity Check Failed: How to Fix It

A failed Companies House identity check can be frustrating, but it is almost always fixable. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for identifying and resolving the specific cause of your failure.

Step 1: Identify the failure reason

When verification fails, you should receive an indication of what went wrong. Common failure messages include:

• “We could not match your details” — usually a name or date of birth mismatch
• “Document could not be verified” — document quality, validity or type issue
• “Liveness check failed” — the face matching system could not confirm your identity
• “An error occurred” — typically a technical issue

Step 2: Fix name mismatches

If the failure is due to a name mismatch between your identity document and the Companies House register:

1. Search for your company at Companies House
2. Compare the recorded director or PSC name with your identity document character by character
3. If there is a difference, file the appropriate change form:
   • Directors: form CH01 (Change of director’s details)
   • PSCs: form PSC07 (Change of PSC details)
4. Wait for Companies House to process the update (typically 5–10 working days)
5. Retry verification once the register is corrected

Step 3: Fix document issues

If the failure relates to your identity document:

• Expired document — renew your passport or driving licence before retrying
• Poor quality image — retake the photo with even lighting, no glare, sharp focus and all edges visible
• Wrong document type — check which documents are accepted for your verification route. GOV.UK One Login accepts only UK passports and UK driving licences; the ACSP route accepts foreign passports.

Step 4: Fix liveness check failures

• Find a well-lit location with natural light or bright, even artificial light
• Remove glasses, hats and any face coverings
• Position your face centrally in the frame
• Ensure no one else is visible in the background
• Use a device with a good-quality front-facing camera
• Follow the on-screen prompts slowly and carefully

Step 5: Try an alternative route

If you have tried multiple times without success on one route, consider switching:

• From GOV.UK One Login to an ACSP — wider document acceptance and guided support
• From one ACSP to another — different providers may use different verification technology

Get guided support

Companies House ID Verification helps applicants who have experienced verification failures. The service costs a fixed £19 and includes guidance to address the common causes of failure. Review the document requirements and start your verification.