Verify your identity for Companies House
Use this service to verify your identity for Companies House.
From 18 November 2025, identity verification becomes a legal requirement.
This date is not a deadline. It marks the start of a 12-month transition period, giving your company time to make sure all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) have verified their identity by their due dates.
What you need
You can verify yourself online with GOV.UK if you have one of the following types of photo ID:
- biometric passport from any country
- UK photo driving licence (full or provisional)
- UK biometric residence permit (BRP)
- UK biometric residence card (BRC)
- UK Frontier Worker permit (FWP)
You’ll also need:
- your current address, and the year you moved in
- to sign in to or create a GOV.UK One Login
Your verified identity will be connected to your GOV.UK One Login. If other people use the same email address as you to access GOV.UK One Login, they’ll need to create their own using a different email address. An email address can only be used once to verify an identity.
What a biometric passport is
Biometric passports have a small rectangular symbol on the front cover. You can use them to go through electronic gates at airports and international train stations.
All UK passports issued after 2006 are biometric.
How to verify if you do not have these types of photo ID
Use this GOV.UK service to find out how you can verify your identity.
If you live in the UK, the service will let you know if you can verify:
- with bank or building society details - you’ll then need to provide your National Insurance number and answer some security questions
- in person at the Post Office
Read the guidance about verifying your identity.
Check service availability and status updates for GOV.UK One Login.
You can contact the GOV.UK One Login team to get help, report a problem or give feedback.
Other ways to verify
You can ask an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), such as an accountant or solicitor, to verify your identity on your behalf. This is also known as a Companies House authorised agent.
You’ll need to provide suitable identity documents.
How to find an ACSP
If you have an existing accountant or solicitor (or any other AML-supervised professional), you can ask them if they are registered with Companies House as an ACSP. If not, you can find one using the list of Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs).
Fraud warning: do not let others use your identity.
Do not sell or give away your identity to enable people you do not trust to set up or run a company. Criminals can take out loans and other debt in your name, and you will be legally responsible.
Read advice from AbilityNet on how to adapt your device to meet your needs. For example, changing the background colour or text size.
Updates to this page
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From 18 November 2025, identity verification becomes a legal requirement. This date is not a deadline. It marks the start of a 12-month transition period, giving your company time to make sure all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) have verified their identity by their due dates.
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Section added – how to find an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
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Section updated - How to verify if you do not have these types of photo ID.
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Content added for clarity: Your verified identity will be connected to your GOV.UK One Login. If other people use the same email address as you to access GOV.UK One Login, they’ll need to create their own using a different email address. An email address can only be used once to verify an identity.
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Added translation