You may or may not be aware that towards the end of last year (18 Nov to be precise) new mandator identiy verification for directors and people with significant control (PSCs) over companies came into force under the Ecconomic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act.

In essence, all Company Directors and People with Significant Control (PSCs) will need to have your identity verified and provide an 11 character “Personal Code” to Companies House.

Key Deadlines

• New directors appointed on or after 18 November 2025: provide your personal code with the appointment filing (or with the incorporation application for a new company).
• Existing directors on the register on 18 November 2025: provide your personal code with the company’s next confirmation statement filed on or after 18 November 2025 (within the transition window).
• New PSCs added to the register on or after 18 November 2025: provide your personal code within 14 days of being entered on the register.
• Existing PSCs who are also directors: in addition to meeting the director requirement above, provide your personal code within 14 days of the company’s confirmation statement date.
• Existing PSCs who are not directors: provide your personal code within 14 days of the start of your birth month.

Ways to Verify

There are a couple of different ways you can verify your identity appropriately

Via an Authorised Corporate Services Partner (ACSP) – Baird Consulting is one such ACSP. This means we are registered to inform companies house that relevant checks have been completed. We are required to demonstrate the checks we make have been suitably robust, so will be using third party software for this. Unfortunately this does mean we have to make a one off charge for this. The process is very easy, and is done via “Credas”, which links with “Inform Direct” the software that we for company secretarial needs. For existing clients, this means it is an easy and streamlined process.

Directly via gov.uk – you can do this here. The service is free to use, and will include a need to use the camera on your mobile device both to upload your documents, and for a facial regognition scan (similar to automated passport control at an airport). It will give you your personal code, which you will need to provide to either companies house directly, or to your accountant to submit for you.

What you need to do

For some, this will be needed more or less immediately (or have have been already). Others will not need to do anything before next summer. For clients, we will contact you directly when you need to take action, and you will need to confirm whether you will provide your personal code by the deadline, or would like to take advantage of the service we are offering, at which point we’ll send you a link to get started. If you’d like to simplify the process ahead of time, then just let us know, and we’d be very happy to provide a competitive quote for all your accountancy needs and give you the time back to focus on doing what you do best – running your business.