Companies House identity verification is now part of the compliance responsibilities of UK companies. If you are a company director or person with significant control, it is important to understand when you need to verify and what happens afterwards.
Mandatory identity verification was introduced from 18 November 2025. However, this did not mean that every existing director had to verify immediately. Existing directors have been brought into the system during a transitional period, with their requirements generally linked to the company's confirmation statement.
Who needs to verify?
The identity verification rules apply to various people involved with UK companies, including directors and people with significant control (PSCs).
New directors appointed since the new regime took effect are subject to identity verification requirements as part of becoming a director. Existing directors are being brought into the system according to the transitional arrangements.
Consequently, two directors of different companies may have different deadlines, even though the underlying identity verification requirements are the same.
Do not assume that because somebody you know has already completed the process, or has not yet been required to do so, the same timetable applies to you.
What happens when you verify?
Once you have successfully verified your identity, Companies House provides you with a personal code.
The important point is that the code belongs to you rather than to a particular company. If you are a director of several companies, you will normally use the same personal code for each company.
Existing directors will generally need to provide their personal code as part of the confirmation statement process. PSCs also have requirements to provide their personal code to Companies House.
Keep the code somewhere secure and accessible because you may need it again.
Why has the system changed?
The identity verification regime forms part of a much wider reform of Companies House.
Historically, relatively limited checks were carried out on information submitted to the register. Companies House now has greater powers intended to improve the reliability of information held on the register and help prevent UK companies being used for unlawful purposes.
Identity verification is an important part of those reforms because it should make it more difficult for somebody to create or control companies using false identities.
Do not leave it until the deadline
There is a practical reason for completing verification in good time.
If your confirmation statement deadline is approaching and a director has not dealt with their identity verification requirements, an otherwise straightforward company secretarial task could become more complicated.
Companies House also has enforcement powers where people fail to comply with identity verification requirements.
Directors should therefore establish when they need to act rather than simply waiting until a filing deadline is imminent.
Check your position now
If you are uncertain whether you have completed the necessary identity verification, cannot locate your personal code or are unsure when you need to provide it to Companies House, speak to us.
We can help you establish what action is required and ensure that your company's filing arrangements take account of the new identity verification regime.