Time is running out for company directors, members of LLPs and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) to verify their identity.

From 18 November 2025, identity verification will be mandatory for each of these individuals.

Why are you being asked to verify your identity?

The change forms part of the Government’s Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.

The intention of these new checks is to make company records more reliable and reduce opportunities for fraud.

Given that 118,000 plus cases of identity theft were reported for the first six months of 2025, additional prevention measures are welcome.

The Government is also hoping identity verification will help people feel more confident about doing business in the UK.

What does the verification process entail?

Each director only needs to complete identity verification once, and that same verification will apply across all their company directorships.

Once verified, every director will receive a personal code which you will need when filing your confirmation statement going forward.

You’ll be glad to know that identity verification is a one-off process, so you won’t need to repeat it every year.

However, though the code will be required whenever setting up a new company or submitting certain filings.

To verify your identity your will need to access the  GOV.UK One Login service. This process should only take a few minutes if you have a valid official identity document like a passport.

From the implementation date, both directors and PSCs will be able to view the Companies House register to check their verification status and any deadlines linked to their roles.

What are the rules for verification?

As we’ve already mentioned, from 18 November 2025, all new directors will need to verify their identity before they can incorporate a new company or be appointed to an existing one.

Existing directors will have up to 12 months to complete verification. This is typically aligned with the filing of your next annual confirmation statement.

The identity verification rules for People with Significant Control (PSCs) are slightly more complicated.

If you are both a director and a PSC of the same company, you will need to provide your verification code separately for each role.

Directors submit their code when filing the company’s confirmation statement, while PSCs use a separate Companies House service, available from 18 November 2025, and must provide their code within 14 days of the statement date.

For PSCs who are not directors, the deadline is linked to their month of birth. For example, if your birthday is in October, your 14-day window begins on 1 October.

Anyone becoming a PSC after 18 November 2025 must verify within 14 days of being added to the Companies House register, as failing to verify once it is legally required could constitute a criminal offence.

Don’t miss the deadline

More than 300,000 people have already voluntarily verified their identity since April 2025, according to Companies House CEO Louise Smyth CBE.

We will not be able to submit your confirmation statement on your behalf if you don’t verify your identity.

If you are a director or PSC, consider who this requirement affects, who in your organisation will oversee the verification process and whether you will handle it yourself or enlist the help of a trusted adviser.

We recommend that you complete your identity verification before 18 November to avoid any potential delays to filing information with Companies House.

For any guidance on completing identity verification, please contact us.