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New Companies House Rules: Mandatory ID Verification in 2025
19 June 2025
Accounting & Compliance
From 8 April 2025, Companies House introduced a new ID verification process as part of its ongoing reforms to deter fraud and improve transparency across the UK business landscape.
If you’re a company director, person with significant control (PSC), or otherwise involved in managing or filing for a UK company, you’ll need to verify your identity.
This is a legal requirement, designed to:
- Reduce the risk of fraud
- Improve trust and accuracy in the Companies House register
- Prevent individuals from hiding behind false identities
Who Will Need to Verify?
You’ll need to verify your identity if you are:
- A company director
- A person with significant control (PSC)
- A company secretary or someone who files on behalf of a company
- A member or managing officer of a limited liability partnership (LLP)
In most cases, you’ll only need to verify once.
You must not verify again unless asked by companies house.
When Does ID Verification Become Mandatory?
While identity verification is available voluntarily from 8 April 2025, it will become compulsory from autumn 2025.
Here’s what that means:
- From autumn 2025, all new directors and PSCs must verify their ID at the point of company incorporation or appointment.
- Existing directors and PSCs will have a 12-month transition period, meaning they must complete their ID verification by autumn 2026.
How to Verify Your Identity
The easiest way is to verify online via GOV.UK One Login, using one of the following photo ID documents:
- Biometric passport (from any country)
- UK photo driving licence
- UK biometric residence permit, card, or Frontier Worker permit
Depending on your situation, you may also be able to verify using your bank or building society details, or by visiting a UK Post Office.
You can start the process here: Verify your ID for Companies House
What Happens Once You’re Verified?
Once you’ve successfully verified, you’ll be issued a Companies House personal code.
This unique identifier links your identity to any official roles you hold.
From autumn 2025, you’ll use this code to:
- File confirmation statements
- Accept appointments as a director or PSC
- Confirm your identity against Companies House records
Your personal code is private, share it only with someone you trust to file on your behalf (similar to your HMRC UTR).
What Happens If You Don’t Verify?
Failure to verify your identity in time will be a criminal offence.
You may face:
- A financial penalty
- An inability to start a company
- A block on filing for your existing company
Avoid last-minute stress. Get Verified.
While the new rules don’t take full effect until autumn 2025, we recommend verifying your identity as soon as possible.
That way, you’re ready for any changes and won’t risk missing important filing deadlines or facing penalties.
We’re here to help.
As trusted advisors to UK businesses, we’re keeping a close eye on the Companies House reforms and what they mean for our clients.
For more information about this change guidance is available around verifying your identity for companies house.
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The content in this blog is correct as at 18th June 2025. See terms and conditions.
