Companies House have now confirmed that from 18 November 2025 identity verification (IDV) will be compulsory for new and existing directors as well as persons with significant control (PSCs).
How will this work in practice?
From 18 November 2025, companies will not be able to file a confirmation statement at Companies House without providing each director’s unique IDV code. It is therefore important that all appointed directors have completed the IDV process ahead of the confirmation statement filing deadline.
PSCs also have to complete the IDV process however their IDV code will not be required when filing the company’s confirmation statement. Instead, PSCs must complete the IDV process within the first 14 days of their month of birth. For example, if their date of birth is 20 March, the 14-day period will begin on 1 March 2026. Companies House have confirmed that a separate platform will be put in place to allow PSCs to provide their code. We will provide a further update on this once we know more.
IDV is also becoming a compulsory part of new company incorporations.
If an individual is both a director and PSC or a director of multiple companies, Companies House have indicated that the individual should only have to complete the IDV process once. The individual can then supply their unique IDV code to each company at which they are appointed as a director or registered as a PSC.
It has not yet been announced how Companies House plan to verify the identity of corporate directors and PSCs. It is expected that this will be introduced at a later date and so we will be watching this space.
Consequences of non-compliance
From 18 November 2025 IDV becomes mandatory. Non-compliance by directors and PSCs will result in them committing an offence. A director may also be disqualified for failing to verify their identity.
Companies House intend to make it clear on the register whose identity has and has not been verified.
How to verify your identity
Individuals can verify their identity in the following three ways:
- Online by the individual themselves
- In person at a Post Office
- Using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider
It is often the case that major Companies House updates lead to further changes over time. We will be keeping an eye on this and provide further updates as they become available.
For more information on how individuals can verify their identity, please see our previous article in the related articles section below.
