Mandatory Identity verification for Companies House

ID verification requirements apply to the individuals currently acting, or due to be appointed, as:

• UK company director (This includes trustees of the companies limited by guarantee)
• LLP member
• Person with Significant Control (PSC)

and to anyone submitting filings to Companies House on behalf of a company/LLP (unless they are employed by an authorised firm).

How to verify identity?

There are three options for completing ID verification for Companies House:

1. Directly via GOV.UK One Login (Free)

Individuals holding a biometric passport from any country can verify their identity through the ‘GOV.UK One’ login – Verify your identity for Companies House – GOV.UK

First they must create their own GOV.UK One account and will need to have access to a smartphone with a working camera. ID verification steps are simple and, once they are completed, if the ID verification is successful, the individual will immediately receive their unique personal ID code by email from Companies House.

Individuals who may have already verified their identity via GOV.UK One to access HM Revenue & Customs service are still required to separately verify their identity for Companies House.

2. Via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)

Blick Rothenberg Limited is registered with Companies House as an ACSP and our team can assist with ID verification. We are using ID document validation technology, and we can assist with ID verification for individuals holding a biometric or machine-readable passport from any country.

3. In person at selected UK Post Office branches

This option is for individuals who are based in the UK and do not have a valid ID document or are otherwise unable to complete their ID verification via the above options.

Reporting ID verification to Companies House:

Once ID has been verified, the individual’s unique IDV code must be linked to each UK entity to which they are currently connected. ID verification needs to be completed only once, except if the individual has changed their name or if the Registrar of Companies requests ID re-verification.

Deadlines for completing ID verification for Companies House:

1. New Identity Verification Requirement for Directors and LLP Members

During the 12 month transition period between 18 November 2025 and 18 November 2026, the existing UK companies / LLPs must include the relevant individuals’ personal ID codes on the next confirmation statement. Their individual directors / LLP members must verify their identity in advance of the next confirmation statement filing deadline.

Companies House will not accept the confirmation statement if all personal ID codes are not included and, in this case, the confirmation statement will become overdue. The Registrar of Companies has the power to remove the company/LLP from the register if their confirmation statement remains overdue.

2. New appointment as a UK company director / UK LLP member

For each new appointment as director, the individual must provide their personal ID code to the company for their appointment to be registered at Companies House and, more importantly, before they act as a director. It is an offence for the individual to act, and for the company to allow them to act, as director without providing their personal ID code to Companies House.

LLP members are treated the same as company directors under the ID verification rules.

3. Individual PSCs of UK companies and LLPs

Individuals who are currently registered as UK company director or LLP member and also as a PSC must provide their personal ID code to the company / LLP in time for the filing of the next confirmation statement at Companies House.

Individuals who are currently registered at Companies House only as a PSC must verify their identity and report their personal code to Companies House on a separate portal within the first 14 days of their month of birth.

Newly registered individual PSC who is not also a director / LLP member must verify their identity and provide their personal code to Companies House on the PSC portal within 14 days of their registration as a PSC with Companies House.

4. New incorporations

For all new company and LLP incorporations, individual directors/LLP members and individual PSCs must verify their identity and provide their unique IDV code for the incorporation.

5. Overseas companies with a UK Establishment

Individual directors of the overseas company that currently has a UK establishment registered at Companies House must verify their identity and report their personal ID codes to Companies House before the first anniversary (following 18 November 2025) of the date when their UK establishment was opened. This requirement applies irrespective of whether directors are involved in the running of the UK business, where they are based and how often they visit the UK.

Directors will need to provide their ID code to Companies House before the new UK establishment can be registered.

Consequence of non-compliance:

In case of a failure to comply with IDV requirements and provide the personal ID code to Companies House by the relevant deadline, a company/LLP may be:

• Liable to criminal or civil penalties
• Prohibited to file essential documents, such as confirmation statements and annual accounts
• Struck off the register in the case of persistent non-compliance

For individuals, a note will be recorded against their name on the public register.

Future requirements for mandatory ID verification:

In due course ID verification requirements will become mandatory for general partners of limited partnerships, corporate directors of companies, corporate members of limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and officers of corporate PSCs (RLEs).

Contact us

If you would like to discuss the above matter further, or to confirm how this impacts your company, please get in touch with your usual Blick Rothenberg contact or Vesna Sowden, using the form or the details below, to see how we can assist with any future planning.