Important Update: New Companies House ID Verification Rules

Earlier this year, new legislation from Companies House was put in force that will affect all limited companies in the UK.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (2023) will give Companies House more power to check and share accurate information about UK companies. This aims to help stop crime, protect national security, and make it safer and easier to do business in the UK. It is the biggest update to Companies House since it began in 1844.

From 18^th November 2025, it will be mandatory, under this new law, for all Directors and anyone who is a Person with Significant Control (PSC) to have their identity verified. This is part of the Government’s plan to improve corporate transparency and prevent fraud.

What Existing Companies Need to Know

If you already have a limited company:

• All existing Directors and PSCs will need to verify their identity within a set timeframe. This is expected to start once the new rules come into force later this year and when your next confirmation statement is filed.
• Anyone becoming a new Director or PSC in the future must be verified before they are appointed.

What New Companies Need to Know

If you are setting up a new limited company:

• All Directors and PSCs must complete identity verification before the company can be registered.

The company cannot be formed until this is done.

What You Will Need to Verify Your Identity

To complete identity verification with Companies House, you will need to provide proof of who you are. This is very similar to other secure ID checks, such as setting up online banking.

You can use:

• A UK photo driving licence
• A UK or foreign passport
• A UK Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) (if you are not a UK citizen)

Online security checks will be required using GOV.UK One Login. This will enable you to link your passport or driving licence to your Government Gateway account.

We will guide you through the exact steps when it’s time — but please check now that your documents are valid (not expired) and up to date.

If you do not currently have a Government Gateway account you will need to set one up, please see instructions at the end of this article.

Record Your Companies House Code

Once your identity is verified, Companies House will issue you with a unique code. This is sometimes called a Verified Identity Number (VIN).

This code is very important:

• It proves you have passed identity checks.
• You will need it for any future appointments — for example, if you are appointed as a Director of another company.
• You will use it for any filings that require your personal verification.

Keep this code safe, secure and share with RBP. Store it somewhere private and make sure you can access it easily when needed. If you misplace it, you may have to repeat the verification process.

How To Create a New Government Gateway Account?

If you need to set up a new Government Gateway account, here is what you need to do:

• Go to the GOV.UK sign in page.
• Click ‘Create sign in details’.
• Enter the email address you want to be attached to your account. You will be sent an authorisation code, which you will need to enter to verify your email account.
• Enter your full name
• Set up a password when prompted
• Set up a recovery password to use if you can’t access your account in the future

Once you complete these steps you will receive a unique 12-digit Government Gateway User ID, which you can use to access and register for other digital services.

For more information, please click here.