Companies House identity verification is now part of the legal process for setting up, running, owning or controlling a UK company. Since 18 November 2025, new directors have had to verify who they are before they can be appointed or included in a new company registration. People with significant control, usually called PSCs, must also complete verification and connect their identity to each relevant role.
For a first-time founder, the important change is simple: choosing a company name and entering director details is no longer enough. Each proposed director needs a verified identity and an individual Companies House personal code before the incorporation filing can be completed.
Who Must Complete Identity Verification?
The requirement applies to company directors, PSCs and equivalent officers of certain entities. It also applies to directors of overseas companies registered in the UK and to individuals registering as Authorised Corporate Service Providers.
Some requirements are still being introduced in phases. For example, compulsory verification for everyone who files documents on behalf of a company is expected later. New founders should follow the rules that already apply to directors and PSCs rather than assuming the entire reform is still optional.
What New Directors Must Do Before Incorporation
A proposed director must complete director identity verification before the company is registered. Once the check succeeds, Companies House issues an 11-character personal code. The incorporation application must include that code for each director so the verified identity can be linked to the appointment.
The code belongs to the individual, not to the company. A person who becomes a director of three companies normally verifies only once and uses the same personal code for each appointment. They should store it securely and share it only with trusted people, such as an accountant who files on their behalf.
How the GOV.UK ID Check Works
The free direct route uses GOV.UK One Login. The service asks questions about the individual, not the business, and selects an appropriate verification method. Depending on the documents and information available, a person may verify through an app, by answering security questions or by entering photo-ID details online and then visiting a participating Post Office.
Accepted online photo identification can include a biometric passport from any country, a UK photocard driving licence and certain UK biometric immigration documents. The applicant also needs their current address, the year they moved there and their own GOV.UK One Login. One email address cannot be reused to verify several different people.
Do not post or email identity documents to Companies House. Use the official GOV.UK service or an authorised agent.
Using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider
An accountant, solicitor or company-formation agent can perform the check only if registered with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, or ACSP. The agent must be supervised in the UK for anti-money-laundering purposes and will ask for evidence from the approved document list.
An ACSP may charge for its work, whereas direct verification through GOV.UK One Login is free. Before paying an agent, confirm that it appears on the official authorised-provider list and ask whether its fee covers only identity checking or also company incorporation and future filings.
How PSC Verification Differs
PSC verification follows a separate connection process. After verifying, the PSC must provide their personal code through the Companies House PSC service during a specified 14-day period. The timing depends on when the person became a PSC and whether they are also a director of the same company.
For an existing PSC who is also a director, the 14-day period begins after the company’s confirmation statement date. An existing PSC who is not a director generally has a period linked to the first 14 days of their birth month. A newly registered PSC should follow the deadline communicated by Companies House.
This distinction matters during formation. Directors need their codes for the incorporation or appointment filing, while a PSC may have a separate deadline for submitting the PSC verification statement.
What Existing Directors Need to Do in 2026
Directors who were already on the register when mandatory verification began are covered by the transition arrangements. They must provide their personal codes with the company’s next confirmation statement falling within the transition period.
A company cannot successfully file that confirmation statement unless all its directors have completed the required verification steps. Businesses with several directors should collect the codes early rather than discovering a missing verification on the filing deadline.
A Practical Formation Checklist
Consider two founders who want to register a company with both acting as directors and one also recorded as the PSC. Each founder should create a separate GOV.UK One Login and complete verification. Both personal codes go into the incorporation filing for their director appointments. After registration, the founder who is the PSC must also connect the same personal code to the PSC role during the applicable 14-day window.
Before submitting an application, check the spelling of each person’s full name, date of birth and address against their identification and Companies House records. A mismatch can prevent the personal code from connecting correctly. Correct inaccurate register information rather than repeatedly attempting the same submission.
What Happens If You Do Not Comply?
Failure to complete the requirements on time can lead to financial penalties, prosecution or a note on the public register. An unverified person may be unable to become a new director or register a new company. Continuing to act after a deadline without complying may also amount to an offence, with possible consequences for both the director and the company.
Identity verification does not replace normal company duties. Directors still need to maintain accurate registers, file accounts and confirmation statements, and report changes. Useful related reading includes company formation steps, how to file a confirmation statement and the responsibilities of a company director.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Companies House identity verification compulsory in 2026?
Yes. It became a legal requirement on 18 November 2025 for directors and PSCs, with different compliance dates depending on the person’s role and when it began.
Do all directors of a new company need personal codes?
Yes. Each proposed director must verify individually and provide their own personal code as part of the incorporation filing.
Can an accountant verify a director’s identity?
Yes, but the accountant must be registered with Companies House as an ACSP. A normal professional relationship alone does not authorise the accountant to complete the official check.
Does a person need a new code for every company?
No. Verification is generally completed once, and the same personal code is used to connect the individual to each director or PSC role they hold.
Prepare the People Before the Paperwork
The Companies House rules 2026 make identity preparation an early formation task, not an administrative detail to handle later. Verify every proposed director, protect each personal code and plan separately for any PSC verification deadline.
Completing these steps before submitting the incorporation form reduces delays and helps ensure the register connects the correct person to every company role from the start.