How to Complete PSC Identity Verification, Step by Step
Written and reviewed by Zoe, Managing Director at Kernow Accountancy : our family-run Helston practice has been advising Cornish sole traders, landlords and small businesses since 2011.
Companies House now requires directors and Persons with Significant Control to prove who they are. Here's exactly how the process works, who it applies to, and what happens if you miss it.
PSC identity verification is a legal requirement under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. If you're a director or a Person with Significant Control of a UK company, you must confirm your identity with Companies House, either free, yourself, via GOV.UK One Login, or through an accountant or other agent registered as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). It became mandatory on 18 November 2025, with a 12-month transition period for people already on the register, and results in a personal verification code you'll use on future filings.
What is PSC identity verification, and why does it exist?
A Person with Significant Control (PSC) is anyone who holds more than 25% of a company's shares or voting rights, can appoint or remove a majority of the board, or otherwise exercises significant influence over how a company is run. Companies House has always required these individuals to be named on the public register, but until recently it never checked that the name given was real.
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) changes that. It gives Companies House both the power and the obligation to verify that directors and PSCs are who they say they are, as part of a wider push to close down the use of UK companies for fraud, money laundering and anonymous ownership. Since 18 November 2025, identity verification has been a legal requirement rather than an option.
Who needs to verify their identity?
- Individual directors of UK companies, including shadow directors.
- Individual PSCs: anyone registered as holding significant control, whether or not they're also a director.
- People who file on a company's behalf will follow later. Companies House expects to extend verification to filers from no earlier than November 2027, with at least six months' notice.
- Corporate directors, corporate PSCs and limited partnership partners sit in later phases, still being rolled out.
If you're a director and a PSC of the same company, you're covered by both requirements, but you only ever need to verify your identity once, and the same personal code then applies everywhere you're listed.
When do you need to do it?
The rules commenced on 18 November 2025 and opened a 12-month transition period for everyone already on the register. Your own deadline depends on your situation:
New directors & PSCs
At the point of appointment. Anyone appointed as a director or newly registered as a PSC from 18 November 2025 onward must verify as part of that filing. There's no transition period for new appointments.
Existing directors
Before your next confirmation statement. Directors already in post must verify before the company's next confirmation statement is due, within the transition window.
Existing PSCs (non-director)
14 days from your birth month. Your one-off window opens on the 1st of your birth month and runs for 14 days. For example, a 22 March birthday gives a window starting 1 March.
What documents or methods can you use?
There are two routes into the system, and which documents you need depends on which one you take.
Verifying yourself, for free, via GOV.UK One Login
- A biometric passport from any country, scanned with the GOV.UK ID Check app; or
- A UK photocard driving licence; or
- A UK biometric residence permit, biometric residence card, or Frontier Worker permit.
You'll scan the document and take a live selfie or short video so the system can match your face to the photo. If you don't hold any of the documents above, there are two alternative routes: verifying via your bank or building society (using your National Insurance number and some security questions), or completing the process in person at a participating Post Office.
Verifying through an authorised agent
Accountants, solicitors and other professional advisers can register with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) and verify your identity on your behalf, having already checked your documents themselves under their own anti-money-laundering obligations. This route suits anyone who'd rather not navigate the app themselves, or whose ID doesn't fit the GOV.UK One Login list.
The step-by-step process
- Work out your deadline. Use the "find out when you need to verify" tool on GOV.UK, or check your company's confirmation statement date (for directors) or your birth month (for non-director PSCs).
- Choose your route. Decide whether to verify yourself through GOV.UK One Login, or ask your accountant or another ACSP to do it for you.
- Gather the right documents. Have your passport, UK driving licence, or biometric residence document ready. For the bank or Post Office routes, you'll instead need your National Insurance number and proof of address details.
- Complete the check. Scan your document and complete the live selfie match in the GOV.UK ID Check app, use the bank or Post Office alternative, or hand your documents to your ACSP to verify on your behalf.
- Get and use your personal code. Once verified, you'll receive a unique personal code. Quote it on your next confirmation statement or PSC filing, and link it to every directorship or PSC entry you hold. You won't need to verify again for future roles.
What happens if you miss the deadline?
⚠ Penalties for non-compliance. Companies House takes a graduated approach: guidance and reminders first, then a formal default letter, then annotation of the public register to flag the non-compliance. But acting as a director, or remaining on the register as an unverified PSC, past your deadline is a criminal offence, and persistent or repeated non-compliance can lead to financial penalties for the individual and the company; rejection of company filings, including confirmation statements, until verification is complete; referral for prosecution, which can carry director disqualification and a criminal record, and in prolonged cases, the company being struck off the register.
None of this is automatic on day one, but it's a genuine compliance risk, not paperwork you can quietly ignore.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly counts as a PSC?
Someone who holds more than 25% of a company's shares or voting rights, has the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors, or otherwise exercises significant influence or control over the company. A company (a "relevant legal entity") can also appear on the PSC register if it meets its own reporting obligations.
Do I need to verify every year?
No. Verification is a one-off. Once you hold a personal code, it covers every directorship and PSC role you have, now and in future, without repeating the process.
Can my accountant do this for me?
Yes, provided they're registered with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider. They'll check your identity documents against their own anti-money-laundering procedures and confirm your verification on your behalf.
What if I don't have a passport or UK driving licence?
You can still verify using the bank/building society route with your National Insurance number, complete the process in person at a participating Post Office, or ask an ACSP to verify you using whatever identity documents you do hold.
Does verification cost anything?
Verifying yourself via GOV.UK One Login is free. Using an authorised agent, such as your accountant, may involve a fee as part of their service.
What if a PSC lives overseas?
Overseas PSCs are covered by the same requirement. GOV.UK One Login accepts biometric passports from any country, and the ACSP route is available regardless of where the individual is based.
Not sure where you stand?
If you'd like help working out your verification deadline, checking your company's PSC register is accurate, or getting verification done properly the first time, our team is here to talk it through.
Get in touch with Kernow Accountancy
Kernow Accountancy: accountancy and company compliance services.
This article is general guidance based on Companies House and GOV.UK information current as of August 2026, and isn't a substitute for advice on your specific circumstances. Verification rules are being rolled out in phases and details may change. Always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK or speak to your adviser before relying on a deadline.
