New Legal Requirement: Directors and PSCs Must Verify Their Identity by 18 November 2025
From Autumn 2025, a new legal requirement will come into effect: all company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) must verify their identity with Companies House.
The official deadline for compliance is 18 November 2025.
If you’re a director or PSC, you may have already received an email directly from Companies House regarding this change. If other directors or PSCs within your business haven’t received this notification, please ensure it is forwarded to them as soon as possible.
How to Verify Your Identity
Directors and PSCs can complete the verification process now by visiting:
Verify your identity for Companies House – GOV.UK
You’ll need a Gov.UK One Login account to complete this process.
If you require support, the following helplines are available:
- Verification queries (Gov.uk): 0303 123 4500 (option 1)
- One Login queries (Gov.uk): 0300 373 9020
Your Companies House Personal Code
Once your identity is verified, Companies House will issue you with a personal verification code, for example:
XV4-JW63-2823
This code is personal to you (not the company).
What Happens If You Don’t Verify
Failure to verify your identity by 18 November 2025 may have serious legal and operational consequences.
You will not be able to:
- File documents with Companies House
- Start a new company or entity
If you do not comply with the identity verification requirements on time, you may be committing an offence and could face financial penalties or fines.
For Directors
- Continuing to act as a director without verifying once the legal requirement is in place will be an offence.
- You may face disqualification.
- Both the company and all directors could be held liable.
For PSCs
- Acting as a PSC without verification may result in committing an offence.
- Penalties may apply until the requirement is met.
Why This Matters
This change is part of the UK government’s wider reform to increase corporate transparency and combat economic crime. Ensuring all directors and PSCs are verified helps protect businesses and strengthens the UK’s corporate register.
