Legal News | 17.11.25
Verified or Vulnerable: The Companies House Crackdown on Identity Verification
Changes to Company Law
There have been recent changes to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. Companies House now requires certain individuals associated with a company to verify their identity, effective 18 November 2025. This verification is mandatory and must be done within twelve months. These changes are part of the UK government’s efforts to improve corporate transparency and tackle economic crime.
Who these changes apply to:
From 18 November 2025 onwards, the following individuals will be required to verify their identity with Companies House (this list may be subject to change):
- Directors of UK companies – both newly appointed and existing directors.
- Individual members of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) – including new and current members. For corporate LLP members, a nominated director must verify their identity.
- Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) – covering both companies and LLPs, whether newly registered or existing PSCs.
- Relevant officers of registrable relevant legal entities (RLEs) – also known as corporate PSCs.
- Nominated directors of corporate general partners – in the case of limited partnerships.
- Individuals submitting filings to Companies House – whether acting on their own behalf or for others.
- Overseas directors – who have a company registered in England and Wales.
How to verify
You can verify your identification yourself or with an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) via one of the following options:
Option 1: You can verify via the GOV.UK One Login mobile app that will scan your biometric identity verification.
Option 2: If you cannot or do not have access to a mobile, you can verify on the GOV.UK website, and you will be asked security questions as part of this.
Option 3: If neither option above is suitable or you do not have the appropriate identity documents, you may be able to complete your identity verification in person at your nearest post office. You should check with your local post office if this service is available to you.
Option 4: You can verify with an ACSP.
What happens after verification?
Once your identity has been successfully verified with Companies House, you will be issued a unique identifier code. This code is personal to you, and you should store this somewhere safe.
If you are a director of multiple companies, you will use this single personal identifier code to confirm your verified identity across all your appointments. You do not need to repeat the identity verification process for multiple companies of which you are an officer.
This article should not be relied upon as legal advice.
If you require further information, please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below, or should you require specific legal advice, then please get in touch with your usual contact in the Corporate & Commercial team at Wansbroughs: 020 4549 2460 or 01380 733300 | commercial@wansbroughs.com
| Frequently asked questions (FAQs) | |
|---|---|
| Q: Is there a fee involved? | A: If you verify your identity yourself with GOV.UK, there is no fee associated with this. If you are verifying with an ACSP, they may charge a fee for this. |
| Q: What documents do I need to verify my identity? | A: You’ll typically need a valid passport, UK driving licence, or biometric residence permit. |
| Q: Can I verify my identity myself? | A: Yes, you can use the GOV.UK One Login system, which is the quickest and most cost-effective way to verify. |
| Q: What is an ACSP? | A: An Authorised Corporate Service Provider is a firm supervised under UK Anti Money Laundering regulations and authorised to verify identities for Companies House. |
| Q: Is this a one-time process? | A: Once verified, you’ll receive a personal code for future use. You do not need to repeat this process for multiple companies or various roles that you hold. |
| Q: What are the consequences of failing to verify? | A: You could be fined up to £5,000, face potential director disqualifications and Companies House may strike your company off the register, if you fail to comply with the verification requirements. |
