On Nov. 6, 2025, UK GVT Companies House published page to support businesses with ID verification changes and using the 12-month transition period effectively.
Individuals will receive personal code once identity is successfully verified and, from Nov. 18, 2025, directors must provide personal code as part of their company's annual confirmation statement or give code to agent/accountant filing on company's behalf.
Guidance and videos provide easy-to-follow steps on ID verification so companies of all sizes understand what they need to do, when and how to comply with legal rules.
Sharing information in many ways with Changes to UK company law campaign site as the central hub, along with sending direct emails to company registered email addresses and updating information across website and social media channels.
Directors or PSCs should verify identity early, check company details are up to date and keep an eye on when upcoming filings are due.
UK GVT confirmed identity verification rollout from Nov. 18, 2025, for directors/people with significant control (PSCs) of companies, and updated Verifying your identity for Companies House/When you need to verify your identity for Companies House pages.
Updated summary of changes in policy paperEconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act: outline transition plan for Companies House.
Follows UK GVT Mar. 2024, announced 2nd commencement of 2023 act, see #203183.
Follows UK GVT Jun. 2025, applied company law verification provision, see #260748.
Summary
UK GVT said 12 month phased identity verification will support in-scope companies and individuals, and estimated 6-7mn will need to verify their identity by mid-Nov. 2026.
Legal requirements starting from Nov. 18, include new directors needing to verify their identity to incorporate a company, or to be appointed to an existing company.
Existing directors will need to confirm they have verified their identity at same time as they file their next annual confirmation statement, in a 12-month transition period.
Existing PSCs will need to verify their identity in line with an appointed day within 12 months of the commencement of mandatory identity verification on Nov. 18, 2025.
12 month phased approach aims to ease the process for firms and business owners.
Directors and PSCs will also be able to check Companies House register for due dates.
UK GVT said rollout will boost business and support growth by giving more assurance about who is setting up, running, controlling UK companies in UK, with the benefit of more accurate and trustworthy register data and greater protections against fraud.
Next Steps
Companies will be contacted regarding director/PSC identity verification requirements
Identity verification rollout starts from Nov. 18, 2025.
Sep. 2025 Personal Codes for Identity Verification
On Sep. 1, 2025, UK GVT issued guidance on Companies House personal codes for identity verification, setting out how to use and manage personal code for verification.
Covers what a personal code is, where to find an individual's personal code, how to save personal code to a Companies House account, how to use the personal code.
What to do it the personal details linked to the code do not match Companies House records, what to do if holder thinks personal code has been shared or compromised.
Document dated Sep. 1, 2025, received from UK GVT Sep. 3, summarized Sep. 8.
Sep. 15, 2025 Verification's Advantages
On Sep. 15, 2025, UK GVT presented advantages and process for identify verification.
From Nov. 18, 2025, directors and people with significant control (PSCs) will be legally required to verify their identity; UK GVT is going to be phasing this in over twelve months and will contact companies with guidance on what to do and when.
The two ways to proceed with identity verification is directly with Companies House through GOV.UK One Login or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
UK GVT encourage the obliged persons to verify their identity as early as possible.
In Oct. 2025 UK GVT detailed impact of legislation on fraud and abuse, see #272086.
Oct. 2025 Companies House Verification Reminder
On Oct. 16, 2025, UK GVT published blog reminding directors and people with significant control that from Nov. 18, 2025, they will be required to verify their identity.
Companies House will be phasing in legal requirement over 12 months and proactively contacting companies with guidance on what to do and when to comply with changes.
Companies House register to be updated on Nov. 18, 2025 to show due dates for each role held, and individuals will need to provide their personal code (as gained through GOV.UK One Login or an ACSP, outline above) and verification statement for each role.
Nov. 3, 2025 Identity Verification Progress
On Nov. 3, 2025, UK GVT Companies House said over a million people have already verified their identity ahead of the changes which will take effect on Nov. 18, 2025.
From that date, all new and existing company directors and people with significant control will need to verify their identity, to support a safer business environment.
Companies House CEO said one million identities is an important milestone, but is only the beginning, making information on company register more reliable is good news for business, users of the register, and controlling companies in the United Kingdom.
Nov. 6, 2025 Update on ID Verification
On Nov. 6, 2025, UK GVT Companies House published page to support businesses with ID verification changes and using the 12-month transition period effectively.
Individuals will receive personal code once identity is successfully verified and, from Nov. 18, 2025, directors must provide personal code as part of their company's annual confirmation statement or give code to agent/accountant filing on company's behalf.
Guidance and videos provide easy-to-follow steps on ID verification so companies of all sizes understand what they need to do, when and how to comply with legal rules.
Sharing information in many ways with Changes to UK company law campaign site as the central hub, along with sending direct emails to company registered email addresses and updating information across website and social media channels.
Directors or PSCs should verify identity early, check company details are up to date and keep an eye on when upcoming filings are due.
