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The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) introduces a new identity verification regime to strengthen the integrity of the Companies House register and combat misuse of UK corporate entities.
Under ECCTA, all new directors must now verify their identity before their appointment is notified to Companies House. Existing directors must complete verification before filing the first confirmation statement made after 18 November 2025 and provide their Companies House personal code with it. This practical guide explains who must verify, when the deadlines apply, and how to complete verification via GOV.UK or an authorised provider.
Applicable for all company directors and PSCs
As part of the reforms introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), from 18 November 2025 it will be mandatory for all company directors and PSCs to verify their identity with Companies House.
If you do not verify your identity, you will not be able to make any filings or start a new company or entity. Also, if you do not meet the required deadlines outlined below you may be committing an offence and may have to pay a financial penalty or fine.
Identity verification can be done either: i) through Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs); or ii) directly by the individuals themselves.
Option 1 - ACSPs
ACSPs are authorised agents of Companies House who can carry out identity checks and confirm the results to Companies House. Lewis Silkin does not provide this service but we can introduce you to reliable providers of this service.
Option 2 - Using the 'Verify your identity for Companies House' service
This is our recommended option and can usually be completed in around 10-15 minutes. It requires you to use GOV.UK One Login to verify your identity. The GOV.UK One Login will ask some simple questions and depending on the answers you will be asked to verify your identity in one of three ways:
- Using the GOV.UK ID Check app - this is the most common and the most straightforward
- Answering security questions online
- In person at a Post Office
1) GOV.UK ID Check app
This app is compatible with:
- iPhone 7 or newer and running at least iOS 14
- Android phones running Android 10 or higher
You will need to hand one of the following types of photo ID:
- UK photocard driving licence
- UK passport
- Non-UK passport with a biometric chip
- UK biometric residence permit
- UK biometric residence card
- UK Frontier Worker permit
For further detail click here.
2. Online security questions
If you are unable to verify your identity using the app, there is an option to answer some security questions online. These questions will be about things like your mobile phone contract, and any bank accounts, credit cards, loans or mortgages you may have.
You will also need to enter details from one of the following:
- UK passport
- UK photocard driving licence
- A current account with a UK bank or building society
3. Attend a participating Post Office in person
If you are unable to verify your identity using the app or the online security questions, there is the option to attend a Post Office that offers 'in branch verification'. Find your nearest branch that offers the service here.
Before attending the Post Office, you will be asked to enter details from your photo ID on GOV.UK One Login. Your photo ID can be any one of the following:
- UK passport
- Non-UK passport
- UK photocard driving licence
- European Union (EU) photocard driving licence
- National identity photocard from an EU country, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
According to the government website, the result of the identity check is received by email usually within a day of attending the Post Office.
Companies House personal code
When you have successfully verified your identity using one of the three methods outlined above, you'll get a unique identifier known as a Companies House personal code. This code will connect your verified identity to your records held by Companies House. Make a note of this code and do not lose it.
As a director, you must provide your personal code in your company's next confirmation statement from 18 November 2025. Directors appointed after 18 November 2025, need to verify their identity as part of their appointment filing.
As a PSC, there will be an online service where you can provide your personal code. The deadline for providing this will depend on whether you are a director and PSC of the same company.
- If you are a director and PSC of the company, you will have 14 days from your company's confirmation statement date to provide your personal code.
- If you are not a director of the company you must provide your personal code within the first 14 days of your birth month (for example, if your date of birth is 22 January, your 14-day period will start on 1 January).
If you become a PSC after 18 November 2025, you must provide your personal code within 14 days of being added to the Companies House register using the online service.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
