From 18 November 2025, all UK company directors, and LLP members, will be subject to mandatory identity verification with Companies House.
The same applies to persons with significant control (PSCs).
If they fail to comply they could face a criminal charge – against both their company and personally, and being disqualified as a Director of all UK companies.
This is being brought in under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), which gives Companies House much wider powers, including more of a
“policing” role with the more than five million UK registered companies.
From 18 November 2025, ECCTA means all new and existing directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) of UK companies, as well as members of LLPs, must complete mandatory identity verification at Companies House.
If Directors fail to do so, they will be prohibited from acting as a director until they are verified at Companies House.
It also means Directors and companies will not be permitted to upload their annual confirmation statement until all directors are verified. Non-compliance could make a company and its directors guilty of another offence under ECCTA and expose them to criminal charges for late or non-filing of such documents.
For verification of director identity the following documents are required:
A biometric passport from any country; or
A UK photo driving licence, or
Another form of permitted photo ID, such as a biometric residence permit.
There are other types of document which Companies House can also accept.
Additionally, Directors will have to provide their current residential address. They also have to state the year that they moved into that address; and provide a GOV.UK One Login.
It is possible for Directors to verify their identity at the Post Office, or by using an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
A unique ID verification code will be issued once verification is confirmed by Companies House, and that code must be used with all company roles.
It is essential that those affected by this legislation start the verification process as soon as possible to ensure compliance.
If you need assistance or more information please contact us.
Call us on 029 2022 1300 for more information or email: DJM@djmurphy-solicitors.com