Identity verification at Companies House is no longer a background compliance task. It is tied to fixed deadlines that, if missed, can block filings and put your company in breach of UK requirements.
This guide explains exactly when identity verification is required, how the deadlines differ for directors, PSCs and overseas companies, and how to ensure compliance without missing critical dates.
When directors must verify their identity in UK
Deadline for existing companies
If you are already a director of a UK company, identity verification is required by your company’s next confirmation statement.
Your Companies House personal code must be provided as part of that filing.
If you are a director of multiple companies, the requirement applies to each company separately, based on each company’s confirmation statement date.
Missing this deadline can delay the confirmation statement and prevent future filings.
Deadline when registering a new company in UK
If you are registering a new UK company, identity verification is required before incorporation.
Each director’s Companies House personal code must be included in the incorporation filing. Without it, Companies House will not register the company.
Deadline for overseas companies with UK establishments
If you are a director of an overseas company with a UK establishment, all directors must verify their identity by the anniversary of the UK establishment’s registration.
This deadline applies regardless of where the directors live.
When PSCs must verify their identity
People with Significant Control are subject to strict 14-day verification windows. The start of the 14-day period depends on your role.
Deadline if you are both a director and a PSC
If you are both a director and a PSC of the same company, two separate deadlines apply.
As a director, your personal code must be provided with the company’s confirmation statement.
As a PSC, your personal code must be submitted within 14 days starting from the day after the confirmation statement date.
Filing the confirmation statement early does not change the PSC deadline.
Deadline if you are a PSC but not a director
If you are a PSC only, you must provide your Companies House personal code within the first 14 days of your birth month.
Example:
If your date of birth is 22 January, the 14-day period runs from 1 January to 14 January, not from your birthday.This deadline is fixed every year and often overlooked by international shareholders.
Deadline for PSCs added after 18 November 2025
If you became a PSC after 18 November 2025, you must provide your personal code:
when you are first added to the Companies House register
orwithin 14 days of being added
When authorised agents must verify their identity
If you want to act as a Companies House authorised agent (ACSP), identity verification is required before registration as an authorised agent.
Only verified and registered agents can:
verify identities on behalf of clients
file certain submissions for companies
1Office UK operates as an authorised service provider and can verify client identities in line with Companies House requirements.
What happens if identity verification deadlines are missed
Missing an identity verification deadline can:
block confirmation statements
delay company registrations
prevent changes to directors or PSCs
create compliance risks under Companies House reform rules
For international clients managing companies remotely, these issues often surface only when a filing is rejected.
How 1Office UK helps you meet identity verification deadlines
1Office UK supports companies and international directors with deadline-driven identity verification, including:
monitoring confirmation statement and PSC deadlines
verifying directors and PSCs
managing Companies House personal codes
handling identity verification for overseas individuals
aligning verification with company filings
This ensures verification is completed before deadlines, not after filings are blocked.
If your company has an upcoming confirmation statement or recent ownership changes, it is strongly recommended to verify identities in advance.
Companies House identity verification deadlines FAQ
When is the latest I can verify my identity as a director?
By your company’s next confirmation statement.
When does the PSC 14-day deadline start?
Either after the confirmation statement date, at the start of your birth month, or from the date you are added as a PSC.
Do overseas directors have different deadlines?
No. The deadlines are the same regardless of residency.
Can 1Office handle identity verification before filings are due?
Yes. 1Office UK ensures identity verification is completed ahead of all Companies House deadlines.
