What you need to know about the Companies House November 2025 deadline for ID verification

What are the new Companies House ID verification deadlines?

The new rules, part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), are designed to make the UK's company register more reliable and prevent it from being used for economic crime.

How and when someone needs to verify their identity depends on their role.

For directors: From 18 November 2025, every director will need a verified identity code to file a company's confirmation statement. Put simply, if a director isn’t verified, you won’t be able to file. This applies to every company they are a director of.

For People with Significant Control (PSCs): The deadline for PSCs is a little more varied.

• If they're also a director of the same company: They need to verify as a director for the confirmation statement and then verify again separately as a PSC within 14 days.

• If they're a PSC but not a director: They must verify within the first 14 days of their birth month, starting from November 2025. For example, if their birthday is 20 January, they have between 1 and 14 January to verify.

• If they become a PSC after 18 November 2025: They have 14 days to verify from the date they’re added to the register.

How do these changes affect firms and their clients?

These changes aren't just for your clients. They directly impact how you work.

The key takeaway is that from late 2025, unverified directors will halt submissions. This is a great opportunity to get ahead, strengthen your Anti-Money Laundering (AML) processes, and guide your clients through the changes, showing them they're in safe hands.

It also brings the role of Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs) into sharp focus.

• If you want to offer ID verification services directly to your clients, you need to register as an ACSP now.

• Even if you only file information on your clients' behalf, you will need to be registered as an ACSP to do this from spring/summer 2026.

Now is the perfect time to start those conversations with clients and prepare your firm for the road ahead.

Your questions, answered

We know you'll have questions, so we’ve answered some of the most common ones here.

What is Companies House identity verification?
It’s a new legal requirement to confirm the identity of all company directors and PSCs in the UK. The goal is to improve the accuracy of the Companies House register and help prevent companies from being used for economic crime.

What happens if a director or PSC misses the deadline?
If a director isn't verified by the time their company's confirmation statement is due, it won't be possible to file the statement. This can lead to compliance issues for the company. For PSCs, there will be a separate process to follow. The best approach is to prepare your clients well before their deadline.

Can I verify my clients' identities on their behalf?
Yes, you can, but your firm must be registered as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) to offer ID verification services to clients.

Why is this happening now?
These changes are part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA). The act gives Companies House more power to improve the integrity of the UK's company register and make it harder for bad actors to hide behind anonymous corporate structures.

Is the requirement for new directors/PSCs in conjunction with a new incorporation or does it apply if a new director or PSC is added to an existing company?

Companies House confirms that from Tuesday, 18 November 2025, legal requirements for directors and people with significant control (PSCs) of companies to verify their identities will begin. This will apply to:

• Incorporation and new appointments for new directors and PSCs

• Existing directors will need to confirm they have verified their identity at the same time as they file their next annual confirmation statement, during a 12-month transition period

• Existing PSCs will need to verify their identity in line with an appointed day within 12 months of the commencement of mandatory identity verification on 18 November

Read more here.

Do you just need to provide the code once or every year?

Identity verification is a one-time event. Once an individual's identity is verified, their status is continuous and does not need to be renewed annually (unless, for example, there is a query on their identity). In addition, if someone is a director of multiple companies, they only need to verify their identity once. Then they will use the same personal code to confirm who they say they are and that they are verified for each of their appointments.

If an ID for a client expires within 7 years (e.g. passport), do you need to get a new one?

According to Companies House guidance, once an ACSP has verified someone's identity, there is no need to reverify when their documents expire. The ACSP scheme does not require ongoing monitoring after the initial verification is complete. Instead, it focuses on point-in-time identity verification rather than continuous. This approach supports the scheme's main purpose: establishing a clear link between real individuals and their corporate roles. Any ongoing monitoring falls under separate requirements, such as AML regulations or existing obligations to update the register accordingly.

When registering as an ACSP, do all our company's directors and PSCs have to complete ID verification first?

Here is the guidance on Companies House on registering as an ACSP.

Once you have set up the account, you can add people who work for the agent to the account; they will not need to verify their identity. All users you add to the account will be able to file on behalf of clients and verify people’s identities for Companies House.

However, aside from operating as an ACSP, the new legislation generally applies to all entities registered with Companies House, and as such, there will be a requirement for regulated firms to comply with the same requirements as our clients. You can read more here.

How you receive the code depends on the journey, either direct via Companies House or via an ACSP:

• If you verified using GOV.UK One Login, sign in to Companies House and go to ‘Manage account’ to view your code.

• If you verified using an ACSP, the personal code is sent to the email address provided for the individual.

If an individual is a director and a PSC, will they have two personal codes?

No. An individual has only one identity. Once verified, that single verified status will apply to all their appointments on the register. A personal code is given to a person once they’ve verified their identity. The code is personal to them, not the company or the company they work for. Read more here.

What are the training providers that I can use to send my team to do these in-person checks?

Currently, Companies House does not provide specific Home Office-approved training resources for document verification. However, it is recommended that ACSPs ensure their staff are adequately trained in document verification techniques. Some existing resources within the public domain may support firms in understanding more about the elements of document examination, such as:

• Home Office guidance on examining identity documents,

• Basic ID checking guidelines from 22 April 2025

  When examining a passport, always consult comparison material. Here are some trusted sources:

• Public register of authentic identity and travel documents online

• EdisonTD is a database containing information about travel and travel-related documents from almost every country on the globe.

• Basic passport checks

When examining a driving licence, you should always consult comparison material.

• This resource displays most of the valid models of driving licences in use in the EEA and provides any important information that is specific to each type of licence.

Some providers can support firms with targeted training; however, Companies House does not endorse or recommend a specific provider. One reliable provider is CIFAS, who offer various training courses such as Identity and Document Fraud – Best Practice.

CIFAS is the UK's fraud prevention community that shares data, intelligence, and learning to fight fraud. It is important to point out that there are other providers available, and firms must conduct their own independent assessment to determine if a provider meets their needs.

How is an individual's personal code linked to their specific company role (e.g., director or PSC)?

When an ACSP verifies a client (e.g., a new director), the ACSP will submit a "verification statement" to Companies House. This filing is what links the individual's verified identity to their role at that specific company. The individual receives their personal code via email to pass on to the ACSP. This guidance covers how an ACSP tells Companies House. This will include the:

• Person’s name

• ACSP name - this is the name of your authorised agent

• Names of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory bodies the agent is registered with

• Date the identity checks completed

The process is different if there is no ACSP - see more information here.

How do the new ID verification rules for directors and PSCs affect the separate challenge of identifying UBOs? Will UBOs also need to get a personal code, either now or in the future?

Identity verification is a new legal requirement separate from the Money Laundering Regulations; the requirements within the AML regime still apply and are not negated or replaced. So, beneficial ownership is still as important as it was. You must still identify and verify the UBO in line with the MLR 2017. These Companies House identification and verification requirements will help to deter people intending to use companies for illegal purposes. By law, you will need to verify your identity to confirm you are who you claim to be if you are named on Companies House as a director or PSC from November 2025. This will:

• Reduce the risk of fraud

• Improve transparency, trust, and accuracy of information on the Companies House register

As for the future, what we know now is that the requirements will extend in time, and Companies House will introduce identity verification at a later date for:

• People who file at Companies House

• Limited partnerships

• Corporate directors of companies

• Corporate members of LLPs

• Officers of corporate PSCs

You can read more here.

Would a Thirdfort lite screening check suffice for Companies House requirements, or would an enhanced/original Thirdfort check need to be carried out?

Lite screening does not meet the requirements for this type of check as it isn't checking the ID document. We recommend using Enhanced NFC ID to meet these requirements. You can read more about how this check helps you to meet these requirements here.