Companies House ID Verification
As part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), Companies House are starting to request directors, PSCs and other people holding similar roles (LLP members for example) to verify their identify.
This verification will be mandatory for new appointments from autumn 2025 and will be phased in for existing appointments from spring next year. However, since 8 April 2025, individuals have been able to voluntarily verify their identity with Companies House as well to get ahead of the curve.
Who needs to verify their identity with Companies House?
Individuals that can and, in future will be required to, verify their identity include:
- New directors and people with significant control (PSCs)
- Existing directors and PSCs (and those holding similar roles such as LLP members)
- Relevant officers of RLEs (a new appointment at Companies House which is also required under ECCTA)
- Anyone filing documents at Companies House
Methods to verify your identity with Companies House
You can verify your identity yourself using the GOV.UK One Login website, answer security questions online, at a Post Office, or you can engage us as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) to verify your identity on your behalf.
However, we would usually recommend verifying yourself online using the Gov.UK ID Check as it will be free, and in most cases should be quick and easy.
Companies House ID verification – using the GOV.UK ID Check app (available on the Apple App Store or Android App Store)
For this you will need one of the following types of photo ID:
- UK photocard driving licence
- UK passport
- non-UK passport with a biometric chip
- UK biometric residence permit (BRP)
- UK biometric residence card (BRC)
- UK Frontier Worker permit
You will need access to a phone with a working camera.
If you’re using an iPhone, it must be running iOS 14 or higher and be either:
- an iPhone 6s or newer if your photo ID is a UK driving licence
- an iPhone 7 or newer if you’re using any other type of photo ID
For an Android phone (for example, Samsung or Google Pixel), it must be running Android 10 or higher.
Answering security questions online
If you are unable to use the GOV.UK ID Check app on your phone, you can answer some security questions on the website. You may be asked to answer questions in relation to your mobile phone contract, and/or any bank accounts, credit cards, loans or mortgages you may have. You also need photo ID in form of UK passport or UK photocard driving licence.
Face to face at a Post Office
If neither of the above methods are suitable for you, you can verify your identity in person at a Post Office. To do so you will need to:
- Visit the GOV.UK One Login website where you will be asked to enter details from your photo ID,
- Visit a Post Office that offers ‘in branch verification’,
- The Post Office will then scan your photo ID and take a picture of you for the verification process.
You will receive an email about the result of your identity check which should usually be within a day or two of going to the Post Office.
You will need one of the following types of photo ID: UK passport or non-UK passport, UK photocard driving licence, European Union (EU) photocard driving licence, UK biometric residence permit (BRP) or national identity photocard from an EU country, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.
Companies House ID verification – using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) – e.g us at RPGCC!
If none of the 3 options above are available to or convenient for you, you may engage us as an ACSP to verify your identify, but there will be an administrative charge for this service.
We will still require at least one form of photographic ID and a proof of current home address dated in the last 3 months. The photographic ID will need to be visually verified by a member of our team as well and proof taken of this (e.g. a screen grab if verified over a virtual meeting).
Companies House ID verification – why choose to verify your identity now?
Although not required by law yet, Companies House ID verification may become mandatory in the future so getting ahead of this requirement will avoid any last-minute issues, for example ensuring you have the necessary ID.
Those who don’t verify by the required date will be committing a criminal offence liable to a fine. Any company with outstanding unverified directors/ PSCs may find this affects its access to finance and ongoing operations too.
What happens once you have verified your identity?
Once you have verified your identity, you will be issued with a unique identifier number which will be linked to all directorships.
Verification will usually only be required once regardless of the number of directorships, or PSC roles that the individual holds or if you change any of the details provided at the date of verification.
If you have received an email from Companies House regarding identity verification and you would like to speak to a member of our team regarding ID verification, or indeed any area of Company Secretarial or company formation work, please contact us at hello@rpgcc.co.uk or telephone us on 020 7870 9050.
