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Companies House compliance made simple.

Identification document validation technology built to meet Companies House requirements. Easy for you and your clients.
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ID verification that meets Companies House requirements.

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No more blurry ID photos. Get verified ID the day you request it.

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Dedicated UK support for you and your clients.

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Is your provider ready for the new Companies House rules?

With new Companies House requirements on the way, it's a good time to double-check if your current ID provider is up to the task. The new guidance is clear: you’ll need to carry out cryptographic verification. Here are a few questions to ask your current provider:

  • Can they read the electronic chip in modern passports?

  • Can your clients verify themselves with a simple tap of their ID document to their phone?

  • Do you get a clear audit trail that proves a cryptographic check was completed?

Smartphone displaying an ID check app screen, listing required documents like a passport or driver's license, with a "Begin" button at the bottom.

ID verification that's ready for the change

The new Companies House rules require stronger identity verification for directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs). Our app is built for the 'Option 1' digital route, using cryptographic technology to make this process simple and secure.

It's easier for your clients. They can verify their ID in a couple of minutes, whether they're in Brighton or Bologna.

It's easier for you. We chase your clients with automated reminders, and our in-built guardrails mean you won't get blurry photos or any with fingers covering the MRZ. You also don't need to worry about training your staff on spotting fake and fraudulent documents.

UK passport and smartphone with scanning prompt on screen, set against a green background with a blue circle design.

How Thirdfort's ID verification meets Companies House standards

Since implementing Thirdfort’s data solution, Mishcon’s onboarding period - for straightforward matters - has been reduced from days to minutes.

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Thirdfort was easy to implement and has revolutionised how we verify the identity of our clients. It has been exceptionally useful for our overseas clients, as the process is secure, client-friendly and smooth.

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Discover our blogs on the Companies House changes

FAQs on Thirdfort's ID verification

We offer you access to a range of data providers that you can rely on within one system. When you get started with Thirdfort our team can help you understand which data providers you will be using, how checks will be run and how you'll get results. You can read more about our data providers here.

We have a Trustpilot rated "excellent" UK-based support team on hand to help you and your clients navigate Thirdfort. You and your team will have access to support articles via the Thirdfort portal and you can speak to a member of our support team via live chat, email or phone. 

If your clients do run into any problems our customer support team are on hand to help and can be contacted by your clients via the Thirdfort app, email or phone. Let us take questions from your clients away from your team.

Yes, if you need to verify or reverify a large number of clients quickly, we can work with you to process these in bulk.

We offer one simple workflow for running due diligence on a corporate entity, then verifying key individuals for the purposes of Companies House. You can use the same workflow for anti-money laundering checks.

'Option 1' in the guidance states that you need to use Identity Document Validation Technology, like Thirdfort, to verify biometric and cryptographic identity documents such as passports and driving licences. We do this via our secure app, which has verified more than two million people.
This means that your client only needs to provide one identity document.


If you use 'option 2' your team will need to be trained in spotting fake and fraudulent documents, but this isn't the case when using Thirdfort as we automatically detect these documents and alert you in an easy-to-review report.

Our report contains all the information you will need to provide to Companies House -

  1. document reference number, or equivalent

  2. expiry date, if the document has one

  3. country of issue, if the document has one.

You can download a copy of our report, enabling you to store this for the seven year period specified in the guidance.

Some identity documents, such as UK passports, contain cryptographic security features which protect and hold the biometric information contained on the document. This is usually a small chip contained within the document that holds this information.
Some ID checks, like our Enhanced NFC ID check, read the chip, extract the information it contains and validates that this has not be tampered with. The UK government considers this to be the most secure way to verify someone's identity, which is why they use it for passport control at major UK airports.

There are five easy steps involved in an ID check that reads information held cryptographically -

  1. Your client scans MRZ zone on their ID document using their smartphone.

  2. Your client places their phone on the ePassport. The UK has been issuing ePassports since 2006. As of December 2024, 174 jurisdictions issue ePassports.

  3. We verify the digital signature and signing key from the chip instantly with the issuing government body.

  4. Cutting-edge video tech uses the reflection of light from skin to confirm liveness and combat deep fake attacks. Advanced biometric analysis compares the client’s face to the photo extracted from the ID.

  5. We generate your ID verification report which contains the information you need to provide Companies House.

No, we only charge for checks that are completed. Most of your clients will find it easy to complete their checks. But for those who are having difficulty we have an excellent support team on hand to help app users complete their checks. So you don’t need to worry about guiding clients through their checks.

Our contracts are for a twelve-month period. We offer flexibility in the way you purchase credits that are used for checks. Unlike most providers, all credits are valid for two years. If you need to purchase more there is no need to restart your contract term.

We offer discounts based on the volume of clients that you need to carry out checks on. Without any discounts you would pay £15 per biometric, cryptographic ID check. You can see more information on our pricing page.

Get confident with compliance.

Regulations are changing, but staying compliant doesn’t have to be a headache. Let Thirdfort handle the heavy lifting - so you can focus on what you do best.