Key takeaways

  • A Companies House personal code is an 11-character code issued when you successfully verify your identity for Companies House.
  • The code is personal to you, not your company, so you use the same code for every company where you are a director or PSC.
  • If you verified with GOV.UK One Login, find your code by signing in to Companies House and opening Manage account, using the email address you verified with.
  • Anyone who verified with GOV.UK One Login after 8 July 2026 was also sent their code by email.
  • If you verified through an ACSP, the code is emailed to the address the ACSP gave Companies House.
  • If your code is compromised, Companies House will email you a new code and cancel the old one.
  • The personal code is not the same as the company authentication code, which is a 6-character code belonging to the company and posted to its registered office.

A Companies House personal code is an 11-character code you receive once you have verified your identity for Companies House. It proves you are verified, and you give it to Companies House for each company role you hold, such as director or person with significant control (PSC). Where you find it depends on how you verified.

What is a Companies House personal code?

The personal code is your proof of identity verification on the Companies House register. Companies House issues it when your check succeeds, under the regime brought in by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.

Companies House says the code is personal to you, not your company or a company you work for. You keep the same code if you change jobs, join another board or become a PSC elsewhere. In most cases you verify only once, so you only ever have one code.

When do you need your personal code?

You need it whenever Companies House asks you to link your verified identity to a role. The main occasions are:

  • Confirmation statement: existing directors give their code in the company’s next confirmation statement. The company cannot file it until every director has verified.
  • New appointment: a new director gives the code when they are appointed.
  • Incorporation: each director’s code goes into the new company registration.
  • PSC verification: PSCs give their code through the PSC service within their 14-day window.
  • ACSP registration: you need a code to apply to become an authorised agent.

If you hold roles in several companies, you give the same code for each one.

Where to find your personal code

Your code is in your Companies House account or your email, depending on the route you used. Companies House’s personal codes guidance, last updated 13 July 2026, sets this out.

How you verifiedWhere to find the code
GOV.UK One Login onlineCompanies House account, Manage account
One Login after 8 July 2026Also in your email
Post OfficeManage account, after the result email
ACSP (accountant, solicitor)Email to the address the ACSP gave

If you verified with GOV.UK One Login

Follow these steps.

  1. Sign in to Companies House with the same email address you used to verify.
  2. Open “Manage account”. Your personal code is shown there.
  3. Check your inbox if you verified after 8 July 2026, as the code was also emailed.

If you signed in with a different email address, you will not see the code. Each email address can only verify one identity.

If you verified at a Post Office

GOV.UK emails the result of your check, usually within one day. If it succeeded, sign in to Companies House and open “Manage account” to see the code.

If an ACSP verified you

The code is emailed to the address the ACSP gave Companies House. If it has not arrived, ask the ACSP to check which address they used. If the address was wrong, the ACSP must contact Companies House. If you saved the code to your account, it is also under “Manage account”.

What to do if you cannot find your code

Work through these checks in order.

  1. Search your email for messages from Companies House or GOV.UK One Login, including spam folders.
  2. Sign in with every email address you might have used and check “Manage account”.
  3. Ask your ACSP if an accountant or solicitor verified you.
  4. Contact Companies House through the Contact Companies House service if you still cannot find it.

Do not verify again just to get a new code. Companies House says you must not verify again unless it tells you to.

Can you share your personal code?

Yes, with people who file for you. Companies House says you must keep the code safe but may share it with those who file on your behalf, such as your accountant.

Treat it as you would any personal reference number. Do not post it in emails to large groups or store it in shared folders. Be wary of unexpected messages asking for it; our guide to HMRC scam calls and texts covers the same warning signs. If you think someone has misused your code, contact Companies House and ask for a new one. It will be emailed to you and the old code cancelled.

Personal code vs company authentication code

These are two different codes, and a filing may ask for one or the other.

CodeBelongs toLength
Personal codeYou, the individual11 characters
Company authentication codeThe company6 characters

The company authentication code authorises online filings for one company, like an officer’s signature. Companies House posts it to the registered office, which can take up to 10 working days, and never sends it by email or phone. Our guide to Companies House for directors explains what each filing needs.

What to do now

Frequently asked questions

How many characters is a Companies House personal code?

It has 11 characters. The company authentication code, which is a different code, has 6.

Is my personal code different for each company?

No. The code is personal to you, so you use the same code for every company where you are a director or PSC.

I verified but did not get an email with my code. Where is it?

Sign in to Companies House with the email address you verified with and open “Manage account”. Codes have only been emailed automatically to people who verified with GOV.UK One Login after 8 July 2026, or through an ACSP.

What should I do if someone else has my personal code?

Contact Companies House and ask for a new code. It will be emailed to you and your previous code cancelled.

Can my accountant use my personal code to file for me?

Yes. Companies House says you may share it with people who file on your behalf, such as an accountant.

Sources

Rates, thresholds and rules in this guide were checked against HMRC and GOV.UK guidance on 6 November 2026. Tax rules change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified adviser before acting. This guide is general information, not personal advice.