In short: Every company director and person with significant control now has to verify their identity with Companies House, and the first directors have been convicted and fined for acting without doing it.
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Trust me when I say you need to verify your identity with Companies House.
Who has been prosecuted?
Last month, a director of a limited company was convicted and fined by the courts for acting as a director without verifying her identity. Her co-director had verified his own, but he was fined too, for not taking reasonable steps to stop her acting as a director until she did.
So if you think you can get away with not verifying your identity but carrying on as a company director, think again.
What do directors need to know?
A few things to know:
- Identity verification is mandatory for every director and person with significant control
- Newly appointed directors have had to verify before acting since 18 November 2025
- Existing directors are still in a transition period, which ends on 18 November 2026
- If you're a director, you also need to make sure your co-directors have done it
Need help verifying your identity?
If you need help verifying your identity, or you have questions about the process and deadlines, get in touch.
The case is set out in the Insolvency Service's press release on the first prosecutions. Companies House explains who has to verify and how in verifying your identity for Companies House. If you have just set up a company, the other dates to know are in new limited company filing deadlines.
Your own deadline depends on your role and your company's confirmation statement date, so this is general information rather than advice on your position. If you are unsure, talk to us.
Common questions
Companies House says directors (and their equivalents, such as LLP members), directors of overseas companies registered in the UK, people with significant control (PSCs) and authorised agents all need to verify. See [verifying your identity for Companies House](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/verifying-your-identity-for-companies-house).
Existing directors have to verify during the 12-month transition period that started on 18 November 2025, and provide their personal code when the company files its next confirmation statement. See [when you need to verify your identity for Companies House](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/when-you-need-to-verify-your-identity-for-companies-house).
Yes. In the first prosecutions, a director who had verified his own identity was convicted and fined for failing to take reasonable steps to stop his unverified co-director from acting as a director. See the [Insolvency Service press release](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/directors-warned-to-verify-identities-with-companies-house-following-first-insolvency-service-prosecutions).
Verifying directly with Companies House online is free. You can also verify through an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP), also known as an authorised agent. See the [Insolvency Service press release](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/directors-warned-to-verify-identities-with-companies-house-following-first-insolvency-service-prosecutions).
Related reading
Simon Jacobs is a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA · ACA) and PwC trained, founder of SRJ International. He advises UK business owners on tax, profit extraction and exit. Read his full profile →
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