Companies House confirms identity verification rollout from 18 November 2025
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-04)

We are phasing in identity verification over 12 months to make things simpler for companies and business owners.

Companies House confirms that from Tuesday 18 November 2025, legal requirements for directors and people with significant control (PSCs) of companies to verify their identities will begin.

From 18 November 2025:
- new directors will need to verify their identity to incorporate a company or be appointed to an existing company
- existing directors will need to confirm they have verified their identity at the same time as they file their next annual confirmation statement, during a 12-month transition period
- existing PSCs will need to verify their identity in line with an appointed day within 12 months of the commencement of mandatory identity verification on 18 November
The rollout of identity verification will boost business and support growth by giving more assurance about who is setting up, running and controlling companies in the UK. Companies of all sizes will benefit from more accurate and trustworthy register data and greater protections against fraud.

We are phasing in identity verification over 12 months to provide the best support to all companies and individuals in scope of this new requirement. We estimate that 6 to 7 million individuals will need to verify their identity by mid-November 2026. For most people this will be a one-off process that can be done in a few minutes. We will contact companies to tell them what their directors and PSCs need to do to meet identity verification requirements. We encourage individuals to verify their identities as early as possible.

From 18 November, directors and PSCs will also be able to check the Companies House register to see identity verification due dates for all their roles.

How to verify

Individuals can verify their identity with Companies House through GOV.UK One Login, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).

Identity verification through GOV.UK One Login is free and can be completed quickly online.

In most cases, individuals will only need to verify their identity once. Once they have successfully verified their identity they will receive a personal code from Companies House. From 18 November 2025, users will need to provide their personal code and a verification statement confirming they have successfully verified their identity for each company role they hold.

Companies House CEO Louise Smyth CBE said:

Identity verification will play a key role in improving the quality and reliability of our data and tackling misuse of the companies register.

To support business and help people verify their identities, Companies House is contacting all companies with advice and guidance.

This is part of a coordinated effort to help companies to comply.

We encourage people to verify as early as possible.

More than 300,000 individuals have already done so during the current voluntary period, which started in April.

Competition and Markets Minister Justin Madders MP (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/justin-madders) said:

Identity verification will play a key role in giving confidence to investors and consumers alike, ensuring greater transparency about the organisations they do business with.

Increasing confidence attracts investment and is an essential part of our mission for growth and Plan for Change. We will continue to make the process for registering as a company director as trusted and efficient as possible.

AI and Digital Government Minister Feryal Clark (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/feryal-clark) said:

This is an important and welcome step in our plan to modernise government and build a stronger, more trusted digital economy and deliver our Plan for Change.

By introducing identity verification through GOV.UK One Login, we’re using technology to make life easier for people. It means companies can prove who’s behind them in a fast, secure, and user-friendly way.

This is us driving better services, accurate data, and business growth to make government work for everyone.

Helping companies to comply

It will be an offence to act as a director without being verified once director duties commence. Existing directors will need to verify their identity ahead of their company’s confirmation statement. However, Companies House will help and support enterprises to comply with the requirements and will adopt a proportionate approach to enforcement.

Background

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3339) introduced robust new laws to tackle economic crime and deliver a more reliable companies register to underpin business activity.

The changes we are introducing in phases (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/economic-crime-and-corporate-transparency-act-outline-transition-plan-for-companies-house) will enable us to crack down on misuse of the UK companies register. Since 8 April 2025, individuals have been able to voluntarily verify their identity (https://changestoukcompanylaw.campaign.gov.uk/identity-verification/) using GOV.UK One Login or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) (https://changestoukcompanylaw.campaign.gov.uk/authorised-corporate-service-providers/).

From 18 November 2025, Companies House will make identity verification a compulsory part of incorporation and new appointments for new directors and PSCs.

Every PSC has a 14-day period during which they must submit a statement confirming they have verified their identity, along with their Companies House personal code. The dates of this 14-day period are different for each PSC, and depend on if:
- they are already a PSC when identity verification requirements are introduced on 18 November 2025
- they are also a director of the company
If they are registered as a PSC after 18 November 2025, their 14-day period starts from the date they register with Companies House.

If they are already a PSC on 18 November 2025, their 14-day period starts from the company’s confirmation statement date - if they are also a director of the company.

If they are not a director of the company, their 14-day period starts from the first day of their month of birth, as it is shown on the Companies House register. For example, if the date of birth is shown on the register as March 1990, the 14-day period will start on 1 March 2026.

Identity verification requirements for limited partnerships, corporate directors of companies, corporate members of limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and officers of corporate PSCs will commence later.

Customer emails

Since 4 March 2024, all companies have been required provide a registered email address. Companies House uses this email address to communicate with the company – it is not available to the public.

We are writing to all registered email addresses to inform companies and their agents about identity verification requirements.

About GOV.UK One Login

GOV.UK One Login users can prove their identity free of charge over an app, on a browser or, if directed, via the Post Office.

The GOV.UK One Login customer contact centre and technical service desk provide customer support every weekday for those who are less confident online or get stuck along the way. Within the contact centre the user satisfaction score is 85%, with the average speed of answer on calls being 7 seconds (November 2024).

Citizens who have low digital confidence but have one of the acceptable photo IDs may also be able to verify their identity in person at the Post Office. While this route is still digital at the start and end, it provides extra support for those who need it.

The average completion time for the GOV.UK Identity Document (ID) Checking App is 2.4 minutes (for the period 18 March to 30 June 2025).

YouGov business Omnibus survey

Results from the YouGov business Omnibus survey targeting 1,000 senior decision-makers of companies from across Great Britain show that:
- 60% of respondents had awareness of the new legal requirements brought about by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act
- 81% of respondents support the implementation of a new identity verification process – support has been above 80% since November 2024
- 73% of respondents agreed that the directors and people with significant control would find it easy to verify
All figures are from YouGov Plc, unless stated otherwise. Total sample size was 1,007 decision makers. Fieldwork for the most recent survey was undertaken between 16 June and 25 June 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of British business size and region.

Useful links

Changes to UK company law campaign site (https://changestoukcompanylaw.campaign.gov.uk/)

About GOV.UK One Login (https://www.sign-in.service.gov.uk/about)

Help someone use GOV.UK One Login (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-someone-use-govuk-one-login)

Registrar’s rules (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/registrars-rules)