Companies House confirms that from Tuesday 18 November 2025, legal requirements for Companies House Identity Verification for directors and people with significant control (PSCs) of companies will begin.
This date is not a deadline. It marks the start of a 12-month transition period, giving your company time to make sure all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) have verified their identity by their due dates.
From 18 November 2025:
- New directors will need to verify their identity to incorporate a company or be appointed to an existing company
- Existing directors will need to confirm they have verified their identity at the same time as they file their next annual confirmation statement, during a 12-month transition period
- Existing PSCs will need to verify their identity in line with an appointed day within 12 months of the commencement of mandatory identity verification on 18 November
The rollout of Companies House identity verification will boost business and support growth by giving more assurance about who is setting up, running and controlling companies in the UK. The new verification requirement, according to Companies House, states that Companies of all sizes will benefit from more accurate and trustworthy register data and greater protection against fraud.
Companies House is phasing in identity verification over 12 months to provide the best support to all companies and individuals in scope of this new requirement. It is estimated that 6 to 7 million individuals will need to verify their identity by mid-November 2026.
What you need to do:
For most people, this will be a one-off process that can be done in a few minutes. If you have an email registered, Companies House will contact companies to tell them what their directors and PSCs need to do to meet identity verification requirements.
Directors and PSC’s are being encouraged to verify their identities as early as possible.
From 18 November, directors and PSCs will also be able to check the Companies House register to see identity verification due dates for all their roles.
How to verify:
Individuals can verify their identity with Companies House through GOV.UK One Login, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/verify-your-identity-for-companies-house
Identity verification through GOV.UK One Login is free and can be completed quickly online.
In most cases, individuals will only need to verify their identity once. Once they have successfully verified their identity, they will receive a personal code from Companies House. From 18 November 2025, users will need to provide their personal code and a verification statement confirming they have successfully verified their identity for each company role they hold.
If you require any further information or if you have any questions, do get in touch and we will be happy to assist.
Disclaimer
The views expressed in this article are the personal views of the Author and other professionals may express different views. They may not be the views of Lambert Chapman LLP. The material in the article cannot and should not be considered as exhaustive. Professional advice should be sought in connection with any of the issues contained in the article and the implementation of any actions.