Companies House identity verification is now mandatory for people running or controlling UK companies, and existing directors face deadlines during 2026. The requirement applied from 18 November 2025 to new director and person-with-significant-control appointments, according to a guide by advisory firm Hawksford. This article summarises that guide; confirm current rules with Companies House before acting.
In this guide
- Who has to verify
- Deadlines for existing directors
- How verification works
- What happens if you miss it
- Other company set-up changes to track
- What happens next
- Questions about Companies House verification
Who has to verify
Per Hawksford, the rules cover individual directors of UK companies and overseas entities registered in the UK, members of limited liability partnerships, and people with significant control, meaning those holding more than 25 percent of shares or voting rights or the power to appoint a majority of the board. That matters for non-UK founders who use a UK company as a base.
Deadlines for existing directors
Hawksford reports that existing directors must verify by their company’s next confirmation statement due in 2026, and that people with significant control who are not directors have a window tied to their birth month. Because dates differ by company, check your own filing calendar.
How verification works
The guide lists three routes: the GOV.UK One Login online service, in person at a Post Office, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider. Each verified person receives an 11-character personal code that works across all their roles, so verification happens once per person, not once per company.
What happens if you miss it
Hawksford says non-compliance can lead to rejected company filings, blocked new appointments, enforcement action with financial penalties and a public notation on the register. A founder whose filing is rejected may find a bank or investor asking awkward questions, so treat this as housekeeping with consequences.
Picture a Pakistani IT specialist who set up a UK limited company two years ago to bill European clients. She is the only director. Her next confirmation statement falls in 2026, so she should verify before that filing, not on the due date. This is a hypothetical example.
Other company set-up changes to track
Founders comparing jurisdictions can read our reporting on the UAE corporate tax and VAT changes and the UAE golden visa changes. For the political backdrop in Britain, see the UK rejoin-EU debate.
What happens next
Verify early, keep your personal code somewhere safe, and check with your accountant or company-secretarial provider if you are unsure which deadline applies to you.
Questions about Companies House verification
Is ID verification mandatory?
Yes. Hawksford reports it became mandatory on 18 November 2025 for new directors and persons with significant control.
When must existing directors verify?
By their company’s next confirmation statement due in 2026, per Hawksford.
How can I verify?
Through GOV.UK One Login, at a Post Office, or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider.
Do overseas directors have to verify?
The guide says individual directors of UK companies and overseas entities registered in the UK are covered.
Do I verify once per company?
No. One verification gives a personal code usable across all roles, per Hawksford.
More business and company-setup news is in our business section.
