New Companies House identity verification
From 18 November 2025, Companies House is introducing mandatory identity verification for all UK company directors and persons with significant control (PSCs).
You might have already received a letter or email from Companies House about this, and we would like to take this opportunity to explain the changes and tell you about how we can help our corporate clients stay compliant.
This is part of the government’s wider effort to combat economic crime. The aim is to make it harder for fraudulent or fictitious entities to operate, and to give greater confidence to investors, regulators, and the public about who is behind UK companies.
The new rules apply to all existing and newly appointed directors and company secretaries.
Also, persons with significant control (PSC) must be verified, even if they are not officers of the company.
Failure to comply will result in:
• Rejection of filings such as confirmation statements and director appointments.
• Legal penalties for acting as a director without verification.
• Disruption to a company’s operations and compliance status.
FYI: A person with significant control (PSC) is someone who owns or controls more than 25% of a company. Individuals with only a minority stake (25% or less) are not considered PSCs and are not required to complete identity verification under the new rules.
Obtaining a “unique personal code” from Companies House
There is a verification process to follow, and once completed, each individual will receive a unique personal code from Companies House. This code is tied to each person and not the company. The code must be used when filing documents or confirming roles, and it links each person’s identity to all company positions they hold.
Two ways to verify your identity
Option 1: Verify yourself via GOV.UK
To complete this yourself, each director and PSC must create their own GOV.UK One Login and complete the identity verification process individually. You cannot share a GOV.UK login or use someone else’s account. Each person must have their own login and complete their own verification.
The process includes:
• Setting up a new GOV.UK account for each director and PSC
• Uploading identity documents (e.g. passport or driving licence)
• Verifying your residential address.
• Waiting for confirmation and receiving a unique personal code
• The client forwards the unique personal code to us
Companies House do not charge for this process, but it must be completed separately by each individual. Companies House will not accept filings from unverified individuals.
Option 2: Beverston Accountants can verify each individual and inform Companies House
As a registered Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), Beverston Accountants can verify our clients' identities on their behalf, saving them the trouble of creating a GOV.UK login or navigating the process themselves.
We provide a secure mobile app that enables our clients to:
• Scan and upload their identity documents directly from their phones.
• Beverston receives the documents from the upload and completes the process quickly and securely.
• Beverston provides the data to Companies House and requests the personal code to be sent to the individual.
• The personal code is received by the individual, and they forward this to Beverston, for us to store on the statutory books of the company.
Important Note:
Due to stricter Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations and Companies House verification standards, we cannot use previously held copies of clients’ passports, driving licences, or other documents, even if we already have them on file. The identity verification process now requires:
• Fresh, original scans of our clients' documents
• Validation of cryptographic features (e.g. biometric data)
• Real-time checks to confirm the document belongs to our clients and is still valid
This ensures that identities are verified to the highest standard, protecting both our clients and their companies from fraud and non-compliance.
What happens next?
No need to panic!
For clients who ask us to ID them, Beverston Accountants will phase in and stagger the identity verification process for each client.
The timing will be based on when it becomes legally mandatory for the individuals within each company to be verified, as outlined by Companies House.
This means:
• Each client will be contacted in advance of their required verification date.
• Beverston Accountants will guide each client through the process at the appropriate time, ensuring full compliance without unnecessary stress.
• The secure mobile app will be available to streamline the process whenever it becomes due.
The one-off cost for Beverston Accountants to complete the identity verification process will be:
£20 + VAT - for each individual