From the 18th November 2025, all UK company directors, Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) and certain individuals filing at Companies House will be legally required to submit ID verification.
With unlimited fines and potential disqualification for those who ignore the rules, early preparation is essential to avoid disruption and penalties.
(Read Time: Approx. 6 minutes)
Topics Discussed:
- Detailed rules, timelines, and methods for identity verification under ECCTA.
- Practical steps to prepare and avoid criminal or financial penalties.
Who Must Comply and the Key Deadlines
Brought in as part of the government’s sweeping reforms under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), the new identity verification rules apply to a wide range of individuals involved in running or controlling UK entities.
The scope of the rules is broad:
- All company directors (including directors of overseas companies with a UK establishment) must verify their identity.
- Any Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) who hold more than 25% of shares or voting rights must also verify.
- Individuals filing information at Companies House (unless through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider) will be included from spring/summer 2026.
- LLP members will be covered from 18 November 2025 for individual members, with corporate member requirements introduced later.
- Limited partnerships will also face similar rules for their “registered officers” from spring 2026.
Deadlines:
- New appointments from 18 November 2025: Verification must be completed before incorporation or appointment, and before acting in the role.
- Existing directors: Verification required by the date of the company’s next confirmation statement after 18 November 2025, with a hard stop in November 2026.
- PSCs: Must verify within 14 days of becoming registrable or receiving a Companies House notice; existing PSCs will be phased in, with deadlines tied to confirmation statement dates or date of birth.
How to Complete the Process
Companies House direct verification
The quickest and most cost-effective way to complete identity verification is directly with Companies House using the GOV.UK One Login system.
This route is ideal for most UK-based individuals with access to the right ID documents, and it’s free of charge.
There are three ways to complete direct verification:
- GOV.UK One Login mobile app – Accepts biometric passports from any country, UK photocard driving licences, and UK biometric residence cards or permits. The process is fast, with an average completion time of around two minutes if you have your documents ready.
- GOV.UK One Login web service – Allows use of a UK passport or UK photocard driving licence, and verification via a UK bank account linked to your National Insurance number. This method may also involve answering security “knowledge questions” based on your personal data.
- In-person verification at selected Post Offices – Available to UK residents without access to biometric ID. Accepted documents include a biometric passport, certain non-biometric passports, and UK or EU photocard driving licences.
Whichever route you choose, you will need to provide:
- An email address not previously used by anyone else for identity verification (choose one you can use consistently if you have multiple directorships).
- Your full name (including any former names), date of birth, and current residential address (plus previous address if you’ve moved within the past 12 months).
- Additional supporting documents if you have recently changed your name or address.
When verification is complete, you will be issued with a personal 11-digit verification code.
This code is not sent by email: you should take a screenshot or note it down immediately.
It will also appear in the “manage account” section of your Companies House account, although there may be a delay before it is visible.
Keep this code safe, as you’ll need it for all relevant company filings.
Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs)
For some individuals, verifying directly with Companies House may not be an option, particularly non-UK residents without a biometric passport or those reluctant to use the government’s online system.
In these cases, an ACSP provides an alternative route with a broader list of acceptable documents.
Under the standard ACSP process, you can use:
- A biometric or machine-readable passport.
- A UK, Isle of Man, Channel Islands or EU photocard driving licence.
- An EU or EEA biometric identity card.
- A UK biometric residence card or permit.
There is also a secondary ACSP route with an even longer list of acceptable documents, though it requires you to provide two forms of ID.
Whichever ACSP route you choose, you will need to provide:
- An email address that has not been used by anyone else for ID verification. If you hold multiple directorships, choose an email address you can consistently use across all roles.
- Your full name (including any previous names), date of birth, and your current residential address (plus your previous address if you’ve moved in the last 12 months).
- Additional supporting documents may be requested if you have changed your name or address in the last year.
Once verified, the ACSP will file confirmation with Companies House, and you’ll receive your personal verification code directly.
Consequences of Failing to Verify
The penalties are significant and extend beyond fines:
- Criminal offence for acting as a director without verification; unlimited fines possible.
- Company liability for allowing unverified directors to act; potential fines for the company and its officers.
- Disqualification: Persistent failure to verify may lead to director disqualification under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.
- Practical barriers: Banks, investors and other counterparties may refuse to deal with companies whose directors remain unverified.
- For PSCs: Non-compliance can result in direct fines, though companies are not responsible for enforcing PSC verification.
Government’s Aim and Wider Reform Context
The IDV requirements stem from ECCTA’s broader mission:
- Curb economic crime.
- Improve the accuracy and transparency of Companies House data.
- Reduce fraud and prevent misuse of corporate structures.
The government has linked these reforms to economic growth, suggesting greater trust in UK corporate data will encourage investment.
Early voluntary uptake has been strong (over 300,000 people completed verification between April and August 2025) but millions remain.
Practical Preparation Steps
To be ready for 18 November 2025:
- Audit your organisation: Identify all individuals who will need verification: directors, PSCs, LLP members, and anyone filing at Companies House.
- Gather documents: Ensure biometric passports, driving licences or other accepted documents are valid.
- Encourage early verification: Particularly for companies with confirmation statement dates in late 2025, to avoid last-minute penalties.
- Track deadlines: Create a calendar of confirmation statement dates for all group companies.
- For PSCs: Non-compliance can result in direct fines, though companies are not responsible for enforcing PSC verification.
- Plan for new appointments: Anyone due to be appointed after November 2025 must be verified before appointment takes effect.
Summary
From November 2025, identity verification for directors, PSCs, and others at Companies House will no longer be optional.
The rules are strict, the penalties are severe, and the timelines are tight.
Acting now is the safest way to avoid fines, disqualification, and operational disruption.
At Tax Expert, we can help you identify all affected individuals, prepare the necessary documentation, and ensure your verification is completed without stress or delay, send us an email today.
Fill out our form here for any questions, email us at info@taxexpert.co.uk, or message us on our WhatsApp for out of office hours.
Kind regards,
Ilyas Patel