Companies House identity verification: Get ahead of the curve
8 Apr 2025 • Board Support • Business Services • Company Secretarial • Corporate Health Check • Financial Services
Companies House has advised that all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) will be required to verify their identities from 18 November 2025. Find out more about this change and how Buzzacott can support you below.
Identification verification
Exact mandatory verification deadlines will depend on the date of your confirmation statement and may fall in 2026.
For directors: Verification must be completed before their company files its first confirmation statement after 18 November.
For PSCs who are not directors: The deadline depends on their birth month, with identity verification needing to be completed before the 15th of that month, e.g. a birth month of April means verification must be completed before 15 April.
Failure to comply will have significant consequences; therefore, individuals are strongly advised to prepare ahead of time and begin the verification process sooner rather than later.
Advancing with confidence: key actions to take
Directors and PSCs can verify their identity directly with Companies House or with Buzzacott as a trusted authorised corporate service provider.
We take compliance with these new requirements seriously and, when supporting with the verification process, will be required to undertake the following approach to ensure compliance with the Companies Act:
Each director and PSC will need to supply Buzzacott directly with the relevant identification documents and complete an online liveness check via our identification partner.
Buzzacott checks the identification documents and, if satisfied that they are correct, notifies Companies House that the individual’s identity has been verified.
Companies House issues a personal code to the director or PSC, which confirms their identity has been verified.
Preparing for verification now will give you confidence that you have adhered to the requirements and help you avoid unnecessary sanctions. If you would like to discuss any aspect of the identity verification requirements, or require support with your own verification, we would be happy to help.