Companies House Identity Requirements for Directors and PSCs

Here we explain the new Companies House identity verification and personal code requirements for directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSC). We set out, who needs to be verified, what you need to do, and when. There are different scenarios for when a director is also a PSC, and when a PSC is not a director.

What is Changing / Why

• Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), Companies House is introducing mandatory identity verification (IDV) for all individual directors and persons with significant control (PSCs), and for individual members of limited liability partnerships (LLPs).
• From 18 November 2025 this requirement starts to be enforced.
• Those who are already directors or already PSCs will have transitional deadlines, depending on their role.

What is a “Personal Code”

• After a person verifies their identity (either directly with Companies House via GOV.UK One Login, or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (“ACSP”)), Companies House will issue a personal code to that person. (GOV.UK)
• That code is unique to the individual, and once obtained it can (and must) be reused across different filings / roles (director, PSC, etc.) rather than verifying each time. (GOV.UK)

Who is Affected

• All individual directors of UK companies.
• All individual PSCs (Persons with Significant Control) of UK companies. That includes those PSCs who are also directors, and those who are not. A person who owns 25% or more of a company is a PSC, but there may be other reasons why a person is a PSC. (GOV.UK)
• Individuals appointed after 18 November 2025 fall under the new requirements immediately.

When Each Role Needs to Provide Their Personal Code (“Deadlines”)

Below are the key deadlines or “trigger points” for when each director or PSC needs to verify identity and provide their personal code. Because there are different cases (existing vs new, PSC also director vs PSC not director), you need to know which applies to you.

What the Process Looks Like — What You Need to Do

To protect our authority to submit accounts etc, our firm is not going to be offering identity verification as a service. So you (directors and PSCs) will need to do certain things yourselves. Below is a step-by-step guide, plus what we will need from you, and what we will do as part of confirmation statement filings.

Steps for Individuals (Directors / PSCs) to Get their Personal Code

1. Check whether you have already verified Your Identity
   • It may have been done voluntarily if you acted early. If so, you may already have a personal code.
   • You can check via your Companies House / GOV.UK account whether your identity is verified and whether you have the code. (GOV.UK)
2. If not yet verified, verify identity
   • Use the GOV.UK One Login service (“Verify your identity for Companies House”). This involves uploading / showing acceptable photo ID (passport, UK driver’s licence, or certain biometric residence permits or cards), possibly taking a selfie, etc.
   • Alternatively, if you wish you can go through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) who will do the verification on their behalf. We will not be registering as an ACSP because it puts at risk our ability to submit accounts etc.
3. Obtain and Safely Keep the Personal Code
   • After successful verification, Companies House will issue the personal code.
   • Keep that code safe; you will need to share it with us so that we can include it in filings. (GOV.UK)
4. Use the Personal Code where required
   • For directors: when filing the Confirmation Statement (if existing director) or when appointed (if new director).
   • For PSCs: depending on case, either within 14 days of being registered as PSC (for new PSCs), or in the first 14 days of birth month (if existing PSC not director), or via service after confirmation statement (if PSC + director).

What We Will Need From You

As we are not offering to carry out the identity verification, we’ll need certain information from you in good time:

• Your personal code, once you have verified your identity, from every director and every PSC.
• Confirmation of which role(s) you fulfil (director, PSC, both) so we can work out which deadlines apply.
• Date of birth (as registered at Companies House) to check when the “birth-month” deadlines apply for PSCs only (not PSCs who are also directors of the same company).

What We Will Do

• Submit directors personal codes with the first confirmation statement on or after 18 November 2025
• Submit PSCs (who are also directors) personal codes with the first confirmation statement on or after 18 November 2025
• Submit PSCs (who are not directors) personal codes at the start of their birth month.

Possible Consequences if Deadlines Are Missed

• If a director fails to verify identity by the relevant deadline, acting as a director becomes an offence under new law.
• The company may be unable to make certain filings (Confirmation Statements etc.) until compliance is met.
• For PSCs, there will also be obligations and potential penalties. The individual PSC may commit an offence if they fail to provide the code in time.

Practical Timeline and When Action Should Be Taken

Here’s a suggested timeline / checklist for you so you’re not caught short when the deadline arrives.

Example Scenarios

To make this more concrete, here are a few examples:

• Case A: Person X is both Director and PSC of Company Y
  • They must verify identity and get personal code.
  • As a director: personal code must be provided in Company Y’s next Confirmation Statement after 18 November 2025.
  • As PSC: the code must also be submitted via the separate PSC identity verification service within 14 days after the Confirmation Statement date.
  • We will need the personal code from X in advance of the Confirmation Statement.
• Case B: Person Z is a PSC but not a Director of Company W
  • If Z is an existing PSC as of 18 November 2025, then Z must provide code before the first 14 days of their birth month after November 2025.
  • If Z becomes a PSC after 18 November 2025, then Z must verify and provide code within 14 days of being added as PSC.
  • We will need Z’s date of birth so we know when that birth-month window is.

Key Takeaways & What You Should Do First

1. Don’t wait until the deadline. It’s best that directors and PSCs do the identity verification now (or as soon as possible), so their personal codes are ready well in advance.
2. Check roles and dates: make clear who is director, who is PSC (or both), note the Confirmation Statement date, note PSC birth months, etc.
3. Provide us with your personal code, roles and dates, in good time from all necessary individuals.