The Complete 2026 Guide to Companies House Identity Verification

Companies House identity verification is now a legal requirement for millions of people connected to UK companies. Whether you are a first-time director, a long-serving PSC, an LLP member or someone who files documents on a company’s behalf, you must prove your identity to Companies House before or by November 2026. This complete guide covers every aspect of the id verification companies house process — the rules, the routes, the documents, the personal code, company filing obligations, and what happens if you do not comply.

What is Companies House identity verification?

Companies House identity verification is a requirement introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA). Under this legislation, every individual connected to a UK company must demonstrate to Companies House that they are who they claim to be. This is part of a broader anti-money laundering and know your customer (KYC) framework designed to stop false identities from appearing on the UK company register.

Before ECCTA, there were no checks on whether the people named as directors or PSCs on the register were real. Fraudsters could register companies in other people’s names without their knowledge. The ECCTA identity verification regime closes that gap. You can read the official guidance on GOV.UK companies house identity verification.

Who needs to complete the id check?

The companies house id check requirement applies to four groups:

• Company directors — all directors of UK limited companies, whether UK-based or overseas. Director identity verification companies house rules apply to both new and existing directors.
• Persons with significant control (PSCs) — anyone who owns more than 25% of shares or voting rights in a UK company.
• LLP members — designated and non-designated members of limited liability partnerships.
• Authorised filers — individuals who submit documents to Companies House on behalf of a company.

The government estimates six to seven million people fall within this requirement. See the official guidance on when you need to verify your identity for your specific situation.

The two routes: GOV.UK One Login vs ACSP

There are two ways to complete your company identity verification UK:

1. GOV.UK One Login (free, self-service)

The GOV.UK One Login identity verification route lets you verify directly through the government’s own identity service. You create or log in to a GOV.UK One Login account, then complete the official companies house identity check using a UK passport or UK driving licence. A smartphone is required for the biometric liveness check. This route is free and entirely self-service, but it only accepts UK-issued documents.

2. Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)

The ACSP identity verification route uses a companies house authorised agent — a third-party provider approved by Companies House to carry out identity checks on its behalf. This route accepts a much wider range of documents, including international passports, national identity cards and overseas driving licences. It is the recommended route for directors outside the UK and anyone who does not hold a valid UK document. Our service is ACSP approved and handles the full director id verification UK process at a fixed fee of £19.

What is a Companies House personal code?

Once your identity is verified, Companies House issues you an 11-character alphanumeric code known as your companies house personal code (format: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX). This personal verification code companies house belongs to you as an individual, not to any particular company. You use it to link yourself to every directorship, PSC position, LLP membership or filing role you hold.

Your personal code does not expire and is reusable across multiple companies. You will need it whenever you appoint yourself as a director, register a new company, or update your details on the Companies House register. Read more about the companies house personal code.

Company filing and confirmation statement obligations

Company filing identity verification requirements mean that from November 2026, unverified individuals cannot file documents with Companies House. The confirmation statement identity verification process is one of the first places this becomes visible: when you complete your annual confirmation statement, Companies House will check that each named director and PSC has verified their identity. If they have not, the statement cannot be accepted.

Newly appointed directors must verify before their appointment can be registered. This means no new directorship can proceed without the individual first completing director verification companies house.

Accepted documents for identity verification

The documents required for companies house verification depend on which route you use:

• GOV.UK One Login: UK passport or UK driving licence only
• ACSP route: UK and international passports, national identity cards (EEA and non-EEA), biometric residence permits, UK driving licences, and in some cases supplementary address documents

Passport verification companies house via an ACSP is the most reliable route for directors holding non-UK travel documents. Check our full requirements page for a complete list.

KYC and anti-money laundering context

Companies House identity verification sits within the UK’s wider anti-money laundering identity verification framework. The requirement for KYC companies house checks mirrors the know-your-customer obligations already placed on banks, solicitors and accountants. By extending similar obligations to the company register itself, the UK government aims to make corporate structures less attractive for money laundering and economic crime.

ACSPs that carry out companies house director check processes are themselves regulated and supervised under the Money Laundering Regulations. This means identity checks performed by an ACSP carry regulatory weight and are conducted to a consistent, government-approved standard.

What are the consequences of not verifying?

Not completing your verify identity companies house obligation before the November 2026 deadline has serious consequences. Under ECCTA:

• Companies House will annotate the public register to indicate that an individual has not verified their identity
• Unverified directors cannot be appointed or file documents
• Continuing to act as a director without having verified is a criminal offence carrying a fine or custodial sentence
• Companies whose directors remain unverified may face restrictions on their filings

Read the full guidance on what happens if you don’t verify.

Troubleshooting: common verification problems

Companies house verification problems are most common when documents are expired, names do not match the register, or applicants try to use the GOV.UK route with a non-UK document. If you have experienced failed identity verification companies house via GOV.UK One Login, switching to an ACSP is usually the solution. An ACSP verification service like ours supports a broader range of documents and provides human review at each stage.

Common reasons for failure include: using an expired passport, a name discrepancy between your document and your Companies House record, poor image quality on uploaded documents, or attempting to use a foreign national ID card through the GOV.UK route. See our FAQ for step-by-step troubleshooting.

The November 2026 deadline

The companies house verification guide 2026 timeline is:

• 18 November 2025: New directors must verify before appointment can be registered
• November 2026: All existing directors and PSCs must have verified
• Post-deadline: Criminal liability and filing restrictions for unverified individuals

Do not leave this to the last minute. Processing times increase significantly as deadlines approach. Read the full deadline guidance.

How to complete your verification today

Companies House ID Verification provides ACSP-approved company director identity verification for UK and international applicants. The online process takes around 15 minutes, costs a fixed £19, and covers a full companies house id check including document verification, liveness check and role confirmation. Most applicants receive their personal code guidance the same working day.

Start your verification now or visit our how it works page for a step-by-step walkthrough.