Companies House has announced the 18th of November 2025 as the deadline for their new Identity Verification launch, which basically means anyone setting up, running, owning or controlling a company in the UK will need to verify their identity to prove they are who they claim to be.
In this article, we will delve into what the Companies House identity verification launch is, what it means for directors and authorised corporate service providers (ACSPs) and what you need to do before November 18th.
Before identity verification
Prior to the recent update, there was no formal ID verification process in place for company directors at incorporation. Companies House would collect basic details such as a name, date of birth and address, but there would be no further verification. Thanks to limited checks, many risks and loopholes became available, such as false names and fraudulent appointments.
It caused major concerns for the UK Government; cases emerged of people being unknowingly listed as company directors or being listed under false or misleading details. Criminals could also exploit the system; creating ghost companies for money laundering, tax aviation, economic crime or other illicit crimes.
Companies House update
In April 2025, Companies House announced an update to previous rules, introducing the mandatory Companies House identity verification (IDV) process, which is a new identity verification process. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) provided the power for this change and has backed the mandatory identity verification.
What this means, is every company director (new and old), people with significant control and anyone filing on behalf of a company need to verify their identity with Companies House. To do this, Companies House have allowed verification either directly with themselves, or with an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) who then needs to report to the companies house register.
New directors must be verified and meet identity verification requirements before they can be appointed, and existing directors at existing companies will need to verify their identity when filing their next annual confirmation statement. New Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) will also need to verify their identity, and existing PSCs must verify within the transition period, which we will cover below.
Key dates and timeframes
After the announcement in April, there has been a period of voluntary verification, however now a deadline has been announced for the mandatory identity verification rollout. There will also be a transition period after the Companies House identity verification launch, here are some key dates.
November 18th, 2025: This is when mandatory verification begins for new directors and PSCs.
November 18, 2026: This is the deadline (1 year on) where existing directors and PSCs must verify their identity.
What do Authorised Corporate Service Providers(ACSPs) need to do?
If directors and PSCs choose not to file directly with companies house, they can have an ACSP run their identity verification checks. In order to satisfy Companies House requirements, Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs) will need to obtain, verify and store information on their clients and then register this with Companies House.
Here are the five steps for identity verification requirements, as outlined by Companies House:
- Collect information such as current and any former names, current and former address, DOB, and an email address Companies House can use to contact them.
- Collect evidence that supports and can verify their identity, such as official documents like a uk photo driving licence, biometric passport or a utility bill (a full list can be found here).
- Check the evidence is real – ACSPs can either do this in person (as long as they are properly trained), or they can use a Certified Identity Service Provider (IDSP) such as Credas to verify their identity documents using the biometric/cryptographic features within their digital ID systems.
- Check the identity belongs to the person claiming it, such as confirming the persons name and date of birth, and the person physically matches the photo that it’s on. Again, if you are using an IDSP with biometric technology all of this will verify their identity for you.
- Keep the documents for 7 years.
Helping you stay compliant against anti money laundering
The Companies House identification launch is one of the most significant identity verification changes in Companies House history and will make great waves in cracking down on fraudulent directors and illicit activities. However, the additional admin may cause some concern for some businesses, particularly ASCPs who will be responsible for the identity verification process such as collecting, verifying and storing identity verification.
Credas knows the struggles, and in response to the Companies House changes and identity verification rollout have created a new product that perfectly blends the latest Companies House identity verification requirements with existing AML regulation. ACSPs can use the Credas system to seamlessly verify all information needed in accordance with Companies House, alongside keeping ACSPs fully AML compliant with our standard Credas system.
Our system uses biometric facial recognition; NFC document verification and Passiveness liveness checks for complete identity verification. Everything is streamlined in a simple, easy to use journey that can be completed remotely and securely.
Read more about our Director ID Verification tool.
