Companies House ID Verification
Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, all company directors, Persons with Significant Control (PSCs), and anyone who files with Companies House must verify their identity. The deadline for existing directors and PSCs is November 2026. New appointments must be verified before they can take effect.
We’re a registered Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) with Companies House — authorised to carry out identity verification on behalf of directors and PSCs.
Who needs to verify?
You need to verify if you are a director of a UK-registered company, a Person with Significant Control (typically a shareholder holding 25% or more of shares or voting rights), or anyone who files documents with Companies House on behalf of a company.
If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, check the Companies House guidance — or ask us.
Two ways to verify
GOV.UK One Login You can verify directly and free of charge through GOV.UK One Login. The service will ask you a few questions to work out the best route for you — answer about yourself, not your company. Depending on your answers, you’ll verify either through an app, by answering security questions online, or by entering your photo ID details on GOV.UK first and then visiting a participating Post Office.
Through a registered ACSP If the self-service route doesn’t suit — because your documents aren’t accepted by the app, or you’d simply rather someone handle it — a registered ACSP can verify your identity and submit directly to Companies House. One verification covers all your directorships; you don’t need to repeat the process for each company.
What the process involves
We verify either in person at the Warrenpoint office or by video call — whichever works for you.
You’ll need to bring or provide either two forms of acceptable photo ID (typically passport and driving licence), or one form of photo ID plus a proof of address such as a bank statement or utility bill.
For in-person appointments, bring the original documents with you. For video calls, send copies across beforehand and have the originals to hand during the call. You’ll also need to be on camera without filters or background blur active — we’ll ask you to remove hats and glasses and show your full face to camera.
After your appointment, we prepare the verification report through ID Vault — software we built ourselves specifically for this — and submit directly to Companies House. They’ll email your Personal Code to you, usually within the hour, sometimes the following day.
Frequently asked questions
When is the deadline? Existing directors and PSCs must verify by November 2026. New appointments must verify before taking effect — there’s no grace period for new incorporations.
What if I miss the deadline? Companies House can impose filing restrictions on companies where directors haven’t verified. It won’t automatically deregister your company, but non-compliance creates filing complications and potential penalties.
I’m a director of multiple companies — do I need to verify more than once? No. Verification is linked to the individual, not to each company. Verify once and it covers all your Companies House roles.
How long does it take? In-person verification takes around 15–20 minutes. Companies House typically emails Personal Codes out within the hour, or sometimes the next day.
How do I know you’re a registered ACSP? You can verify our registration on the public Companies House ACSP register.