Verified or Sidelined: The Director's One-Sitting ID Check for 2026

Directors, there's a new item on the admin list that refuses to be ignored: identity verification at Companies House. If you run a limited company, sit on an LLP or appear on a PSC register, the clock is no longer theoretical. The 18 November 2026 backstop for existing directors is days away, and the actual job takes about as long as a supermarket shop.

Who has to do this?

You'll need to verify if you're:

• a director of a UK company, even if the company is dormant, tiny or not trading
• a person with significant control (PSC) named on a company's PSC register
• a member of an LLP
• a new director or PSC being appointed now

Company secretaries and shareholders who are not directors or PSCs don't generally need to verify just for those roles. If your director is another company, or you're unsure how a corporate PSC is handled, check the current Companies House guidance rather than guessing.

What to have beside you

This is the bit that turns a 20-minute job into a 90-minute faff. Before you start, gather:

• a valid passport or UK photocard driving licence (or another accepted photo ID)
• your recent address history
• a phone with a camera for the selfie and ID scan
• access to your email and phone number
• your National Insurance number if you have it to hand

You don't need to dig out old paper share certificates or your company authentication code for this. It's an identity check, not a filing marathon.

The one-sitting walkthrough

1. Go to the GOV.UK One Login service and sign in, or create an account if you haven't got one. Use the details that match your ID.
2. Choose Companies House when asked which service you're verifying for.
3. Follow the prompts to prove your identity. Typically that means scanning your photo ID, taking a selfie and answering a few address questions.
4. When it's done, save your Companies House personal code somewhere sensible. A password manager is fine. A note stuck to your monitor is not.
5. Tell your accountant, bookkeeper or filing agent if they act for you. They may need your code to keep filings moving, but don't broadcast it.
6. Check your company's PSC register. If someone else is listed and hasn't verified, nudge them. A director being verified doesn't automatically sort the PSC.

The bits people trip over

• Name mismatches. If your passport says one thing and Companies House has a middle name missing, fix the record or follow the guidance. Don't just hope the system ignores it.
• Old addresses. Answer the address questions as they were at the time. Don't invent a neat timeline.
• Multiple roles. If you're a director of three companies, you still verify once as an individual. The same identity links across your roles.
• Doing it for someone else. Don't. You can help someone navigate the screen, but the ID and selfie need to be theirs.

What happens if you leave it?

For new appointments, verification is part of the gate. Without it, the appointment can be rejected. For existing directors, missing the backstop can lead to Companies House compliance action, and in practical terms an unverified status can jam up confirmation statements, bank checks and any filing that needs your personal code.

It's also the sort of thing that surfaces at the worst moment: a loan application, a new contract or a buyer's due diligence. Ten minutes now beats a panicked phone call later.

Your 20-minute checklist

• Check your Companies House record for your name, date of birth and roles.
• Gather accepted photo ID and address history.
• Sign in to GOV.UK One Login.
• Complete the Companies House identity check.
• Save your personal code securely.
• Share it only with your filing agent or accountant if needed.
• Check the PSC register for anyone else who needs to verify.
• Diary a quick annual check so new appointments don't catch you out.

Identity verification is dull, but it's the sort of dull that keeps your company admin moving. Do it once, do it properly, and get back to the actual business.