From Autumn 2025 providing identity verification to Companies House will be compulsory for all new directors and PSCs (Persons with Significant Control) and on all new company incorporations.
There will then be a 12-month transition period for existing directors and PSCs, who will need to complete identity verification checks by Autumn 2026.
Completion of identity verification will be required when the company’s next Confirmation Statement is submitted to Companies House.
Failure to comply with identity verification requirements will be an offence. There will be a range of consequences for companies, including financial penalties, being unable to make statutory filings, the registration of a new company being rejected, and a company being struck off the register. Unverified directors may also be disqualified.
The changes have been introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act with the aim of reforming the role of Companies House and improving transparency over UK companies and other legal entities.
What you need to do next
From 8 April 2025, Company Directors and PSCs will be able to voluntarily verify their identity in advance of the changes becoming mandatory in the Autumn.
You will be able to verify your identity directly with Companies House through the GOV.UK One Login service or by using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
The easiest option is to verify your identity directly through Companies House using the free
GOV.UK One Login service. You can create an account
here.
Once your identity verification has been completed and approved, you will be issued with a Companies House Personal Code which you will need to use when filing at Companies House.
Proving your identity with GOV.UK One Login
There are three ways to prove your identity with GOV.UK One Login:
- with the GOV.UK ID Check app: this involves uploading a photo of your ID documents such as a passport and driving licence and completing a facial recognition scan.
- by answering security questions online: you’ll be asked about things like your mobile phone contract, and any bank accounts, credit cards, loans or mortgages you may have and entering details from a UK passport, UK photocard driving licence or a current account with a UK bank or building society.
- at a Post Office: you will be asked to enter details from your photo ID on GOV.UK and go to a Post Office that offers ‘in branch verification’, where they will scan your photo ID and take a photo of you.
Find out more about using the GOV.UK One Login service to prove your identity
here.
What to do if you can’t use the GOV.UK One Login service
If you’re not able to use the GOV.UK One Login service, you will able to use an ACSP to complete the verification checks, however there may be a charge for this service.
IMPORTANT:
If Moore complete the filing of your company’s Confirmation Statement, we will only be able to file this when all the directors and PSCs have had their identities verified. You will need to share your Companies House Personal Code with us as soon as possible. We will need this code to be able to file at Companies House on your behalf.
If you have any questions or need further support or advice, please contact
your local Moore adviser.