Companies House ID verification: the November 2026 deadline

The 12-month Companies House ID verification transition ends in mid-November 2026. Identity verification became a legal requirement on 18 November 2025. Companies House says that date was not a deadline: it started a 12-month transition so companies could make sure all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) verified by their due dates. Those due dates now cluster in the months after the transition ends.

Who has to verify

By law the following people must verify their identity for Companies House:

• directors, and their equivalents such as members, general partners and managing officers
• people with significant control (PSCs)
• Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs), also known as Companies House authorised agents

In most cases you only need to verify once. You must not verify again unless Companies House tells you to. Companies House says it is unlawful for a director to act as a director without completing identity verification.

When directors and PSCs must act

The confirmation statement is the key date for directors. Companies House says it will not accept a company’s confirmation statement until all directors have verified. The company ticks a statement and provides a code for each director.

For PSCs, the 14-day window depends on whether the PSC was registered before 18 November 2025 and whether they are also a director. The PSC service shows the dates when you sign in. If you cannot provide details on time, you can request a 14-day extension, but you must request it before your verification deadline has passed.

How to verify

You can verify yourself with GOV.UK One Login, which asks questions to find the best route. You can also use a participating Post Office. Or you can ask an ACSP, such as an accountant or solicitor, to verify your identity. The ACSP must be registered with Companies House and with a UK anti-money laundering supervisory body, and may charge a fee.

When you verify successfully you receive a Companies House personal code. The code is personal to you, not your company. Keep it secure, as you would a Unique Taxpayer Reference.

What happens if you do not comply

If you do not comply with all identity verification requirements on time, you may be committing an offence. You may face prosecution and a fine through the courts, or a financial penalty.

In future, Companies House will also publish a note against your name on the public register. You will be unable to:

• be appointed as a new director to an existing company
• register a new company or entity
• register as an ACSP

If you act as a director after the deadline without complying, you commit an offence, and the company and all directors may also be committing an offence. Companies House has published its approach to non-compliance. It says it will email companies before the confirmation statement deadline to tell them they must provide verification statements for each director.

What it means for accountants

Confirmation statements. A company cannot file until all directors are verified, so build ID checks into your confirmation statement workflow.

Client chasing. Some directors will not have started. Send reminders now so statements are not blocked at the filing deadline.

ACSP registration. Practices that want to verify clients’ identities need to register with Companies House as an ACSP. See AML registration for accountants for the supervision requirement.

Records. Keep a note of when each director and PSC verified and which code you hold.

For other filing requirements, read Companies House explained for directors and our guide to confirmation statements vs annual returns.

Checklist for practices

1. List every client company and its confirmation statement date.
2. Check each director and PSC. Record who has verified and who has not.
3. Contact unverified directors before the confirmation statement is due.
4. Check PSC windows. Use the PSC service to see the 14-day dates.
5. Decide whether to offer ACSP verification.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Companies House ID verification deadline?

There is no single date. The 12-month transition that began on 18 November 2025 ends in mid-November 2026. Existing directors must verify by their company’s next confirmation statement, and PSCs have a 14-day period.

Can my accountant verify my identity for Companies House?

Yes, if they are registered with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider and with a UK anti-money laundering supervisory body. They may charge a fee.

What happens if a director has not verified?

Companies House will not accept the company’s confirmation statement. A director who acts without verifying commits an offence.

Do I need to verify more than once?

In most cases, no. Verify once, and do not verify again unless Companies House tells you to.