New ID Verification for Company Directors: What You Need to Know

If you're a company director or planning to become one, there's a new requirement you need to know about. Companies House now wants you to verify your identity - basically proving you are who you say you are.

What's Changed?

From 18 November 2025, company directors need to verify their identity with Companies House. Whether you're starting a new company, getting appointed as a director, or already in the role - you'll need to do this. It's part of wider changes aimed at cutting down fraud and making the register more accurate.

Why Is This Happening?

The UK business register has always been pretty easy to use - you can set up a company in minutes. The flip side? Some people have taken advantage of this. There have been cases of companies being set up with fake identities, or people being registered as directors without even knowing about it.

The new verification is meant to close that loophole. Worth noting that this is specifically a Companies House thing for their register - it's not part of any wider government ID scheme.

How Does Verification Work?

The process is fairly straightforward - you can do it online. You'll need your passport or driving licence, and Companies House uses verification software to check these against official databases. For most people, it takes a few minutes.

The easiest and cheapest way to complete your ID verification is to follow the instructions at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/verify-your-identity-for-companies-house

Alternatively, if you'd prefer some help or need to use a different verification method, get in touch with us and we can discuss alternative ways of verifying your identity, starting from £75 plus VAT.

Once you're verified, you get a Companies House Personal Code. You'll need this code when dealing with Companies House in future.

What Are the Benefits?

Look, there are some upsides to this. The main one is that it stops someone from registering you as a director without your knowledge. If someone tries to use your identity to set up a company, the verification step should catch it.

It should also make the register more reliable. When you're checking out a potential supplier or business partner, you can have a bit more confidence that the director's

information is actually accurate.

And yes, once you've done the verification once, certain processes become quicker because you've already got your code.

What You Need to Do

If you're already a director, Companies House should have sent you an email about this. There's a transition period, but don't leave it too late - you won't be able to file certain documents until you've verified.

If you're becoming a new director, you'll need to verify before or shortly after you're appointed.

The Bottom Line

Is it another bit of admin? Yes. But it's not particularly onerous, and it does serve a purpose - mainly stopping people from using your identity fraudulently. If you're a legitimate director, it's probably worth getting it done sooner rather than later so you don't run into issues when you need to file something with Companies House.