Under the Economic Corporate Transparency Act 2023, all filings – directors, Persons with Significant Control, accounts, changes in registered office and other items will have to be:
- If you are a director, but that requires you to verify your identity on the Government website GOV.UK One Login or to go to a Post Office and have it done there, or
- You can if you prefer, use an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), for example, an accountant or solicitor who has registered as a Companies House authorised agent. You will need to provide suitable identity documents but if you use an ACSP, they will have to verify the information.
All company directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) need to verify their identity to prove who they are. This is a new legal requirement under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. The purpose is to prevent people using companies for illegal purposes.
Appointment and removal of directors and other filings were carried out without any verification procedure. The system was being abused and this is the remedy. It is a two-stage process:
Step 1: Verify your identity and get your Companies House personal code.
This code is personal to you, not the company. Keep this information secure until you need to use it. You can view your personal code in the ‘manage account’ section of your Companies House account.
Step 2: From 18 November 2025, link your verified identity to Companies House records.
You’ll need to provide your personal code and a verification statement for each company role you hold.
You can verify your identity by going onto the government website. There is the option of attending a Post Office which provides this service. The Post Office will take your photograph under controlled conditions and compare it with your passport picture.
The easiest way is to have your identity verified by going on the government website GOV.UK One Login.
Action now will help you avoid delays or complications. If your company has multiple officers, allow plenty of time for each one to verify their identity. Directors based outside of the UK are probably best advised to use an ACSP to verify their identity.
As an ACSP, we can help you with identity verification.
Winter 2021