From 18th November 2025, all company directors and People with Significant Control (PSCs) will need to verify their identity. This new rule is part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, which aims to make the Companies Register more transparent and reduce fraud.

What’s changing?

• New directors must verify their identity when setting up a company or being appointed.
• Existing directors will need to confirm they’ve verified their identity when filing their next confirmation statement (within a 12-month transition period).
• Existing PSCs must verify their identity during a specific 12-month period, depending on their role and date of birth.

Why is this changing?

The goal is to prevent people from hiding behind false names or fake appointments, making the register more trustworthy.

What does this mean for you?

For most people, it’s a quick, one-off process that takes only a few minutes. You can verify via your GOV.UK One Login, or we can handle it for you as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). Once the rules are in place, acting as a director without verification will be a criminal offence.

Deadlines to know:

• New Directors/PSCs from 18th November 2025 must verify within 14 days of appointment.
• Existing PSCs who are directors must verify within 14 days of the company’s confirmation statement.
• Existing PSCs who are not directors must verify within 14 days from the start of their birth month in 2026.

Companies House will contact all companies with full details, and you’ll also be able to log in to check deadlines for all roles you hold.

If you need any help with the process, please get in touch and we’ll guide you through it.