Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, all company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) must verify their identity with Companies House.
Who must verify?
You must verify if you are:
A company director (new or existing); or
A person with significant control (PSC) over a company.
Others who file documents at Companies House will also be brought into the regime in stages.
Key deadlines and rules
New directors must verify before their appointment can be filed at Companies House.
New PSCs must verify and provide their personal “verification code” within 14 days of being added to the PSC register (including on incorporation).
Existing directors and PSCs have a 12 month transition period from the 18th November 2025.
Many existing PSCs who are not also directors must provide their code within 14 days of the start of the month of their birthday.
If you are both a director and a PSC of the same company, you will need to use your personal code for each role (for example, on the confirmation statement as a director and in PSC filings as a PSC).
How do you verify?
You can verify your identity in one of three ways:
As Holmes Accountancy is an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, we will happily help you verify your identity with Companies House.
Directly with Companies House – via the official online service (for example, GOV.UK One Login).
In person at selected Post Offices – by presenting your identity documents.
Once your verified, Companies House will issue you with a personal code. You only complete verification once and then reuse the same code for all future directorships, PSC roles and relevant Companies House filings. The code will not appear on the public register, but your record will be marked as “identity verified”.
Getting your details right
Verification will only succeed if your details match the Companies House register closely enough. Common issues include spelling differences or name changes, incorrect dates of birth and outdated addresses. Before starting, check that your full legal name, date of birth and address details are correct and consistent on both your ID and the register. Companies House can require you to re verify and may suspend your verified status if it later doubts your information.
What happens if you do nothing?
Failing to verify on time can have serious consequences. An unverified director may be treated as not validly appointed, and it is an offence to continue acting without verification. The company may also commit an offence if it allows an unverified person to act as a director.
If you are unsure whether you have verified, or what your deadline is, please contact us. We can check your Companies House record and guide you through the next steps, or handle the process for you once our ACSP registration is confirmed.
If you need any tax advice in Milton Keynes give a call to the team at Holmes Accountancy on 01908 315716 or contact us here.
The tax tip is provided for general guidance only; further advice should be sought, for specific issues.
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