The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduces new requirements for individual company directors, individual members of limited liability partnerships (“LLPs”) and individual people with significant control (“PSCs”) to verify their identity with Companies House. This is aimed at reducing the risk of fraud and improving corporate transparency to help prevent the misuse of UK companies.
Identity verification
From 18th November 2025, all individual company directors, members of LLPs and PSCs will be required to verify their identity with Companies House. This can be done directly through the Companies House service (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/verify-your-identity-for-companies-house). Alternatively, it can be done by using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (“ACSP”), who is an individual or organisation that is an authorised agent of Companies House.
On completing the identity verification process, individuals will receive a unique personal code.
Existing directors and LLP members
From 18th November 2025 all existing individual directors and members of LLPs must verify their identity before the date of their company or LLP’s next annual confirmation statement and include their personal code on the filing of the next annual confirmation statement.
If an individual is a director or member of more than one company, they will need to do this for each company.
New directors and LLP members
From 18th November 2025, when incorporating a new company or LLP or being appointed as a director or member to an existing company or LLP, new directors and LLP members will be required to complete the identity verification and provide their personal code as part of the filing of the incorporation application or the filing of their appointment.
Existing PSCs
PSCs of companies and LLPs must verify their identity via a separate online service which will become available from 18th November 2025. The requirements are as follows:
- If an individual is both a director/LLP member and a PSC of the same company/LLP, and their details are protected (i.e. their particulars are not available for public inspection as an application has been made to Companies House to withhold some or all of their information from the public register) they will need to provide their personal code using the online service within the first 14 days of their birth month (for their role as a PSC). For example, if their date of birth is 22nd January, their 14 day period will begin on 1 January. This is separate and in addition to the filing obligations for being a director/LLP member.
- If an individual is both a director/LLP member and a PSC of the same company/LLP, and their details are not protected, they will need to provide their personal code using the online service within 14 days of the next confirmation statement date(for their role as PSC). This is separate and in addition to the filing obligations for being a director.
- If an individual is a PSC but not a director/LLP member of the same company/LLP, they must provide their personal code within the first 14 days of their birth month. For example, if their date of birth is 22nd January, their 14 day period will begin on 1 January.
New PSCs
Where an individual becomes a PSC of a company or LLP after 18th November 2025, they must provide their personal code within 14 days of being added to the Companies House register as a PSC.
Company and LLP formations
From 18th November 2025, identity verification details will need to be provided for directors and PSCs in order to incorporate a new company, and for members and PSCs in order to incorporate a new LLP. The personal code for each director, member and PSC (as appropriate) will need to be provided as part of the registration filing.
Other roles
Identity verification requirements will be introduced at a later date for:
- limited partnerships
- corporate directors of companies
- corporate members of LLPs
- officers of corporate PSCs
Filing changes
Companies House anticipates that with effect from Spring 2026, third-party providers (such as solicitors and accountants) will need to be registered as an ACSP in order to continue to make filings of documents/information at Companies House on behalf of other companies and LLPs. Seddons GSC intends to become registered as an ACSP for the purpose of making Companies House filings.
Penalties for non-compliance
A director or LLP member who does not comply with the identity verification requirements on time, but who continues to act as a director or member, may be committing a criminal offence subject to a fine and could be disqualified. In addition, if a company or LLP does not ensure that someone does not act as a director or member of that company or LLP without complying with identity verification requirements, that company/LLP and all its officers in default may be committing a criminal offence subject to a fine.
A PSC may be committing a criminal offence subject to a fine for failing to comply with identity requirements on time.
Libby Morris, Associate in the Corporate Department
This article is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. You should not rely on it as a substitute for specific legal advice relating to your particular circumstances. For advice or further information on this topic, please contact the Corporate team at Seddons GSC.
The information in this article is current as at 14 November 2025.