Companies House identity verification works in one of two ways. Directors and people with significant control verify either directly through GOV.UK One Login, or through an authorised corporate service provider that runs the check for them. Both routes confirm who you are to a Government-set standard and return a personal code that links your verified identity to every company role you hold.
The whole point is that the check should take a few minutes and then stay done. You verify once, get your code, and reuse it. Get the route right and most directors will not think about it again.
Anyone running or controlling a UK company. That means all directors and all people with significant control, the PSCs who own or control more than 25% of a company. Companies House estimates 6 to 7 million people are in scope (GOV.UK).
New directors and new incorporations have had to verify since 18 November 2025. Existing directors and PSCs are working through a 12-month transition.
Existing directors and PSCs must verify by mid-November 2026, generally tied to their next confirmation statement (GOV.UK). An existing director confirms verification when the company files its next annual confirmation statement. An existing PSC who is not a director has a 14-day window that opens on the first day of their birth month as shown on the register.
Acting as a director after your due date without verifying is a criminal offence. From no earlier than November 2026, firms filing on behalf of others will also need to be registered (GOV.UK).
There are two. The direct route uses GOV.UK One Login: you confirm your identity through the GOV.UK One Login app or a set of online questions. If you would rather do it in person, you take photo ID to a Post Office. It is free and you do it yourself.
The second route uses an authorised corporate service provider, the registered agent your accountant or solicitor may already be. They verify you against an approved list of documents and tell Companies House they have done so. This route works from any country, which matters for overseas directors who cannot easily reach a UK Post Office.
|
Who must verify |
By when |
How they can verify |
|---|---|---|
|
New directors and new incorporations |
Already required since 18 Nov 2025 |
GOV.UK One Login, or an authorised corporate service provider |
|
Existing directors |
At the next confirmation statement, by mid-Nov 2026 |
GOV.UK One Login, or an authorised corporate service provider |
|
Existing PSCs (not also directors) |
14-day window from the first day of their birth month, by mid-Nov 2026 |
GOV.UK One Login, or an authorised corporate service provider |
Yes. An authorised corporate service provider can verify a director or PSC on Companies House's behalf, keeping responsibility for the outcome (GOV.UK). To do this the provider must be registered with Companies House and supervised by a UK anti-money laundering body.
A good check meets the Government's medium level of confidence and returns a clear pass with an evidence trail the agent can stand behind. For the director, it takes seconds rather than digging out a passport and queuing at a counter. That is the standard a certified digital verification service is built to hit. OneID is a digital verification service certified under the UK's Digital Verification Services Trust Framework and regulated by the FCA. An authorised provider can run an agent's identity check through OneID and keep the duty for the result, exactly as the rules require.
Do I have to pay to verify my identity for Companies House?
The direct GOV.UK One Login route is free. An authorised corporate service provider may charge a fee for verifying you and filing on your behalf.
What is a personal code?
Once you verify, Companies House issues a single personal code. You give that code and a verification statement for every company role you hold, so you verify once rather than per company.
Can someone overseas verify their identity for Companies House?
Yes. An authorised corporate service provider can verify directors and PSCs from any country, which is the practical route where the Post Office option is out of reach.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Continuing to act as a director after your due date without verifying is a criminal offence, and Companies House can take enforcement action.
Does a digital verification service replace the agent's responsibility
No. The authorised provider keeps responsibility for the check. A certified service runs the verification to the required standard and gives the provider the evidence to stand behind it.