Verifying your identity for Companies House
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-18)

You need to prove who you are to set up, run, own or control a company in the UK.

Why you need to verify your identity

Identity verification is a new legal requirement. It will help to deter people intending to use companies for illegal purposes.

By law, you will need to verify your identity to confirm you are who you claim to be.

This will:
- reduce the risk of fraud
- improve transparency, trust and accuracy of information on the Companies House register
Who needs to verify

You’ll need to verify your identity if you are:
- a director
- the equivalent of a director – this includes members, general partners and managing officers
- a director of an overseas company registered in the UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-companies-in-the-uk-registration-filing-and-disclosure-obligations)
- a person with significant control (PSC) (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-significant-control-pscs)
- an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) - also known as a Companies House authorised agent
- someone who files for a company - for example, a company secretary
In most cases, you’ll only need to verify your identity once. You must not verify again unless we tell you to.

We’ll introduce identity verification at a later date for:
- people who file at Companies House
- limited partnerships
- corporate directors of companies
- corporate members of limited liability partnerships (LLPs)
- officers of corporate PSCs
When you need to verify

This depends on your role, and when you started that role.

Find out when you need to verify (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/when-you-need-to-verify-your-identity-for-companies-house).

Understanding identity verification for Companies House (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0qU_y1WUT0)

Ways to verify your identity

You can only verify your identity for Companies House using the following options. Do not post or email your identity documents to us.

Using the ‘Verify your identity for Companies House’ service

This service uses GOV.UK One Login to verify your identity. It is free of charge.

GOV.UK One Login will ask you some simple questions to find the best way for you to verify your identity. You must provide answers about yourself, not your company. Depending on your answers, you’ll then be guided to verify:
- with an app
- by answering security questions online
- by entering your details from your photo ID on GOV.UK One Login first, then going to a participating Post Office
Find out more about proving your identity for Companies House at the Post Office (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-prove-your-identity-for-companies-house-at-the-post-office).

Verify your identity for Companies House (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/verify-your-identity-for-companies-house).

Using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)

You can ask an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) to verify your identity on your behalf. For example, an accountant or solicitor. This is also known as a Companies House authorised agent.

You can do this from any country, but your agent must register with Companies House to become authorised. They must be registered with a UK Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory body.

When an agent has agreed to verify your identity, you will need to provide them with documents from an approved list as evidence of your identity. They may charge a fee for their services.

If you have an existing accountant or solicitor (or any other AML-supervised professional), you can ask them if they are registered with Companies House as an ACSP. If not, you can find one using the list of Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-authorised-corporate-service-providers-acsps).

What happens when you verify

When you have successfully verified, you’ll get a unique identifier known as a Companies House personal code. The code is personal to you, not your company or a company you work for.

You’ll need it for various reasons. For example:
- when you file your confirmation statement (https://www.gov.uk/running-a-limited-company/confirmation-statement)
- if you are appointed as a director
- if you become a person with significant control (PSC) (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-significant-control-pscs)
If you are currently a director or a PSC, you’ll need to use your Companies House personal code to connect your verified identity to our records. This is a legal requirement, and will ensure that we know the correct identity is linked to any roles you hold.

Only share the personal code with people you trust

You may need to share this code with people you trust to file on your behalf, or for your company. Keep this information secure, as you would with other unique codes such as your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) for HMRC.

Identity verification makes it much more difficult for criminals to impersonate someone, but not impossible.

How your information is stored and used

To find out how your information is stored and used when you verify your identity with GOV.UK One Login, check the GOV.UK One Login privacy notice (https://signin.account.gov.uk/privacy-notice).

What you need to do with your Companies House personal code

This depends on your role, and when you started that role.

If you’re a director or PSC, you’ll need to use your Companies House personal code to connect your verified identity to our records for each role you hold. This is part of the legal requirement to verify your identity for Companies House.

Directors

If you’re currently a director, you’ll need to provide your personal code in your company’s next confirmation statement filing.

If you become a director, you’ll need to provide it as part of your appointment filing or when you incorporate a company.

People with significant control (PSCs)

You’ll need to provide your personal code to Companies House for your role as a PSC. You can do this using the ‘Provide identity verification details for a PSC (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/provide-psc-verification)’ service.

Every PSC will have a 14 day period during which they must provide their personal code.

The dates of your 14 day period depend on whether:
- you were registered with Companies House before 18 November 2025
- you’re also a director of this company
For more information, read the guidance on when to verify (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/when-you-need-to-verify-your-identity-for-companies-house).

Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs)

These are also known as Companies House authorised agents. You’ll need to provide your personal code to register as an authorised agent.

What happens if you do not verify

If you do not comply with all identity verification requirements on time, you may be committing an offence. You may face prosecution and a fine through the courts, or a financial penalty.

In the future, we’ll publish a note against your name on the Companies House public register. You will also be unable to:
- be appointed as a new director to an existing company
- register a new company or entity
- register as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP, also known as an authorised agent)
We will use the full range of our powers to make sure everyone complies with the verification requirements, and take action against anyone who does not comply. Read our approach to non-compliance with mandatory identity verification (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/companies-house-approach-to-non-compliance-with-mandatory-identity-verification).

Find out when you need to verify your identity (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/when-you-need-to-verify-your-identity-for-companies-house).

Directors (or equivalent)

Each director will get a personal code when they verify. You’ll need to provide these codes when you file the confirmation statement. Your company will be unable to file its confirmation statement unless all its directors are verified.

If you continue to act as a director after the deadline without complying with all verification requirements, you will be committing an offence. The company (or entity) and all directors may also be committing an offence.

People with significant control (PSCs)

If you continue to be a PSC after the deadline without complying with all verification requirements, you may be committing an offence.