ID-verification is mandated from 18 November 2025

Although it will be a staged introduction triggered by the date certain documents are filed at Companies House, from 18 November 2025 all company directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) registered with Companies House must formally verify their identity.

You can to verify your identity:
  -   using the online Companies House service. Cost: Free
  -   In person at a participating Post Office. Cost: £12.75
 -   Through MAAP as a registered ACSP. Cost £10

Your Next Step: We recommend you use the free online ID-verification service provided by Companies House. If your prefer you can use MAAP to carry out the check.

Why it is important to complete your ID-Verification sooner rather than later

After the 18 November 2025, part of the process for filing returns like annual financial statements and confirmation statements at Companies House will involve providing the requested ID-verification codes for the relevant directors and PSCs. Any delays in obtaining these codes will result in delays in filing return, which could result in late-filing penalties if deadline dates are missed.

We can only facilitate the process of obtaining individual ID-verification codes. We cannot complete the process on your behalf. Unless our clients provide us with their Companies House identification codes (that take the form XXX-XXX-XXXX) we will be unable to complete the filing process for them in future.

To avoid late-filing penalties, it makes sense for all directors and PSCs to obtain their personal ID-verfication code well before the November deadline. We have been working with our clients to obtain these codes.

What is involved and what you will need to hand

We find you can complete the online Companies House ID-verification process in under 30-minutes. The step-by-step instructions are clear and easy to follow. The only concern people reported was worrying whether their application might be timed-out and they would have to start again, which thankfully didn't happen.

To successfully complete the online process, you will need:

• To have created a personal Gov.DOT One Login account
• A current biometric passport - One that displays the small rectangular symbol on the front cover.
• A UK photo driving license - disclosing your current address
• The date you moved into your current address
• A personal email that can only be used once to verify an identity
• A smart phone with Internet access
• The confidence to trust the software to complete the process, which is does with impressive efficiency.

Once you have been sent your personal ID-verification code, you should take steps to save it in a secure place and only disclose it to people you know you can trust.

MAAP Accountants and our role as an ACSP

MAAP Accountants is a registered Authorised Corporate Services Provider (ACSP). We are also supervised by the AAT for compliance with the anti-money laundering regulations. Our role as a practicing accountant requires us to take all reasonable steps to verify the identity of our clients by asking them to provide documentary proof of identity. We can also carry out personal biometric checks through are chosen agents, Firmcheck, at cost to us.

Although we share some of the concerns about mandated personal ID-verifications, we have seen the irreversible damage caused to credit ratings and business reputations caused by ID-theft. For those reasons alone, we believe Companies House ID-verfication is one more step in the right direction to eliminating fraud and reduce the opportunity for criminals to launder the proceeds of crime through legitimate business facades.