Published 31 August 2026 · updated 9 September 2026 · 5 min read
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act made identity verification a condition of holding office at a UK company. It is the biggest practical change to company registration in a generation, and it catches people who have been directors for twenty years.
Who has to verify
- Directors of companies, and members of LLPs
- People with significant control
- Anyone filing at Companies House on a company's behalf
How it is done
Either directly with Companies House, or through an authorised corporate service provider — an ACSP — which is a status Companies House grants and which can be checked. We do it as an ACSP, which means one process, our records, and the reference retained.
It attaches to the person, not the company
Verify once and the status applies to every appointment you hold. A director of four companies does not verify four times. This is worth knowing before you pay an agent per company for it.
Where it goes wrong
Almost always a mismatch. A middle name on the passport that never made it onto the appointment. A name transliterated differently in two documents. An address that changed during the process. A document that expired last month. Check what the register says about you before you start, not after a rejection.
What it does not do
A verified identity is not a criminal record check, not a credit check, and not an endorsement. It confirms you are who you say you are. It does not confirm that the company is trustworthy, and no honest agent will imply otherwise.
What happens if you do not
Acting as a director without a verified identity is an offence, and Companies House can reject filings made by unverified people. In practice the first sign of trouble is a blocked appointment or a rejected confirmation statement — usually at the exact moment you needed it done.
Our identity verification service sets out what documents are accepted, including from outside the UK.
Nothing here is advice about your situation
It is general information about how UK company registration works, written to be accurate at the time of publication. Rules and fees change. Where a decision matters — tax, structure, an insolvent company — take advice on your own facts.