Companies House identity verification: deadlines, rules and what to check
Do directors need to verify their identity with Companies House?
Yes: identity verification has been a legal requirement for company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) since 18 November 2025. It was introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, which inserted section 167M into the Companies Act 2006: an individual "must not act as a director of a company unless the individual's identity is verified".
Key facts, as of 21 October 2026:
- New directors have had to verify before a company can be incorporated with them or before they are appointed, since 18 November 2025.
- Existing directors must verify and have their personal code given with the company's next confirmation statement, during a 12-month transition period that started on 18 November 2025 (GOV.UK).
- PSCs must verify too, with their own 14-day windows (see below).
- Verification is done once per person, not once per company, through GOV.UK One Login or an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
- Acting without verification is an offence for the director, and also for the company and every officer in default (Companies Act 2006, s.167M).
Companies House stresses that 18 November 2025 was "not a deadline" but the start of the transition. Most people's real deadline is tied to a date specific to their company or to them.
When is the deadline? It depends on the role
Your deadline depends on whether you are a director, a PSC or both, and when you took the role. GOV.UK's guidance "When you need to verify your identity for Companies House" sets out the rules.
| Role | When the personal code must be given |
|---|---|
| New director (appointed on or after 18 November 2025) | Before appointment, as part of the appointment or incorporation filing |
| Existing director | With the company's next confirmation statement after 18 November 2025 |
| Director who is also a PSC | With the confirmation statement as a director, and separately within 14 days starting the day after the confirmation statement date, as a PSC |
| PSC who is not a director | Within the first 14 days of their birth month (a PSC born on 22 January has a window starting 1 January) |
| PSC added after 18 November 2025 | When first added to the register, or within 14 days of being added |
A person who cannot meet the PSC deadline can ask for a single 14-day extension, but only before the deadline passes. A director who holds several directorships must have the code given for each company.
A company whose confirmation statement fell due in January 2026 should already have verified directors; one whose date falls in early November 2026 is among the last.
When does the transition period end?
The transition runs for 12 months from 18 November 2025, so it ends in mid-November 2026. By then every company will have reached at least one confirmation statement date, so every existing director of a company that files on time should have verified.
Companies House's outline transition plan, updated on 5 August 2026, says it will "complete the transition period for all individuals on the register requiring identity verification, and start compliance activity against those who have failed to verify their identity", with that stage dated no earlier than the end of 2026. The same plan pushes identity verification for people who file documents on behalf of companies (presenters) to no earlier than November 2027.
How do people verify, and what is a personal code?
A person verifies once and receives a Companies House personal code, a unique identifier that belongs to them rather than to any company. The code is then given for each role they hold.
There are two routes:
- GOV.UK One Login. Free. Uses photo ID such as a biometric passport or UK driving licence; people without suitable ID can use bank or building society details with a National Insurance number and security questions, or complete part of the check at a Post Office.
- An Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). An accountant, solicitor, formation agent or other business supervised by a UK anti-money laundering body that has registered with Companies House. ACSPs may charge for the service.
Uptake has been large. Companies House's annual report for 2025 to 2026 says 3 million people had verified through GOV.UK One Login and 783,000 through ACSPs by 31 March 2026, and it expects to verify 6 to 7 million individuals by the end of the transition year.
What happens if a director does not verify?
The main practical consequence is that the company cannot file its confirmation statement: GOV.UK says the filing will not be accepted "until all directors have verified their identity". The legal consequences sit on top of that.
- Criminal offence. Under s.167M, the unverified director commits an offence, and so does the company and every officer in default. In England and Wales the penalty is a fine.
- Financial penalty. GOV.UK warns people who do not comply that they "may face prosecution and a fine through the courts, or a financial penalty".
- No new roles. An unverified person cannot be appointed as a new director, register a new company or register as an ACSP.
- A public note. GOV.UK says that in future Companies House will publish a note against the name of a person who has not complied on the public register.
- Prosecutions have started. On 17 September 2026 the Insolvency Service announced its first prosecutions: three directors across two companies were fined for failing to comply with identity verification requirements and for failing to file confirmation statements on time.
Section 167M also says that a breach "does not in any way affect the validity of an individual's acts as a director". A contract signed by an unverified director is still valid; the problem is the offence and the blocked filings, not the paperwork already signed.
How can a third party see whether a director is verified?
Open the company on the Companies House service "Find and update company information" and go to the People tab. Next to each director and PSC, the register shows a "Verified" label if verification is complete, or the date verification is due for that role if it is not (Companies House blog, 16 January 2026).
What you can and cannot read from it:
- Verified: the person has proved who they are and their code has been linked to this role.
- A due date in the future: the transition has not reached this company's deadline yet. Normal until the confirmation statement date or birth-month window passes.
- A due date in the past with no "Verified" label: the person has missed their deadline for this role. Look at the confirmation statement next.
- Verified through an ACSP: GOV.UK says details of the ACSP used, its anti-money laundering supervisor and the date of the checks are linked to the person's record.
Verification is per role, so a person may show "Verified" at one company and a due date at another until each company's deadline comes round.
What a supplier or credit checker should look at after the deadline
After November 2026 the useful question is no longer "has this director verified?" but "is this company able to file?". A company with an unverified director is stuck: it cannot deliver its confirmation statement, so the statement goes overdue, and outstanding documents are a main trigger for compulsory strike-off.
A short checklist for a new customer or supplier:
- People tab. Every current director should show "Verified". A due date that has passed is a warning.
- Confirmation statement date. Check that the next statement is not overdue. See confirmation statement overdue for what follows.
- Recent director changes. A director who resigned just before their deadline and was replaced by someone verified is fine; a company with no verified director left is not.
- PSC entries. A PSC with a past due date means the owner has not verified, which matters if you are relying on who owns the business.
- Status. "Active - Proposal to Strike off" after a missed confirmation statement means the registrar has started removing the company. On 1 October 2026, 423,006 companies carried that status (strike-off study).
- Accounts. Verification proves identity, not solvency. Check that accounts are filed on time: on 1 October 2026, 1.8% of active companies were past their accounts due date (overdue accounts study).
Verification removes some kinds of fraud, such as directors who do not exist or whose identity was stolen. It says nothing about competence or honesty, so check the director's history too: our guide on how to check a company director covers the disqualification and insolvency registers. For the wider list of warning signs, see Companies House red flags.
What is not checked yet
As of 21 October 2026, three things are still outside identity verification:
- People who file. Presenters and agents filing on a company's behalf are not yet required to verify; the transition plan says no earlier than November 2027.
- Corporate directors and LLP corporate members. GOV.UK says verification for these and for limited partnerships will come "at a later date".
- Enforcement at scale. Compliance activity against people who failed to verify is planned for no earlier than the end of 2026, after the transition closes.
How this shows up in our data
We do not hold officer data, so our company pages do not show who is verified. They show the effect: status, overdue flags and the balance sheet trend. If verification blocks a company's filings, the result appears as overdue documents and, in time, a strike-off proposal.
To check a company's status and filing record alongside its balance sheet history, search it on our accounts page.
General information, not legal advice.
Sources
- Companies House confirms identity verification rollout from 18 November 2025, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
- When you need to verify your identity for Companies House, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
- Verify your identity for Companies House, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
- Verifying your identity for Companies House, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
- Filing your company's confirmation statement, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
- Companies Act 2006, section 167M: prohibition on director acting unless ID verified, legislation.gov.uk, accessed 21 October 2026.
- Understanding identity verification for people with significant control (PSCs), Companies House blog, accessed 21 October 2026.
- Tell Companies House you have verified someone's identity, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
- Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act: outline transition plan for Companies House, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
- Companies House annual report and accounts 2025 to 2026, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
- Directors warned to verify identities with Companies House following first Insolvency Service prosecutions, GOV.UK, accessed 21 October 2026.
FAQ
What is the Companies House identity verification deadline?
There is no single national date. New directors must verify before appointment. Existing directors must verify by their company's next confirmation statement after 18 November 2025, within a 12-month transition ending in November 2026. PSCs who are not directors have 14 days from the first day of their birth month. Each person's due date is shown on the People tab of the company's register page.
Do existing directors need to verify their identity?
Yes. Every existing director must verify and have their Companies House personal code given with the company's next confirmation statement. Companies House will not accept the confirmation statement until all directors have verified. A director of several companies verifies once but the code must be given for each company. Acting as a director without verification is an offence under section 167M of the Companies Act 2006.
How can I tell if a director has verified their identity?
Open the company on the Companies House register and go to the People tab. Each director and PSC shows a "Verified" label if verification is complete, or the date it is due for that role if not. A due date in the past without a "Verified" label means the person has missed their deadline, which usually leads to an overdue confirmation statement.
What happens if a director does not verify with Companies House?
The company cannot file its confirmation statement, which can lead to compulsory strike-off. The director, the company and every officer in default commit an offence and can be fined, and the person cannot take on new director roles. In September 2026 the Insolvency Service announced the first prosecutions, with three directors fined. The director's past acts remain valid.
Does identity verification mean a company is safe to trade with?
No. Verification confirms that the director or PSC is a real person who is who they say they are. It says nothing about the company's finances, filing record or the director's track record. Check the accounts, the confirmation statement date, the company status and the director's other companies before you give credit.
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