On 5 August 2025, Companies House announced that ID verification is being phased in over 12 months. This has a direct impact on anyone who is a director or a person with significant control (PSCs). The changes come in from 18 November 2025. New directors will need to verify their ID at the point of incorporation or appointment. Existing directors and PSCs will be able to use the Companies House register to check their due date for ID verification.
The idea is that ID verification will provide more assurance about who is setting up companies in the UK. It is no secret that the existing processes have meant setting up a company with fake identities has gone on with minimal challenge. The Government estimates that the changes will impact 6 to 7 million people, who by mid-November 2026 will need to have verified their ID.
If you would like more information about the process, please contact a member of the corporate team.
We are phasing in identity verification over 12 months to make things simpler for companies and business owners – Companies House