Companies House identity verification has moved from being a future compliance change to an actively enforced legal requirement.
On 17 September 2026, Companies House and the Insolvency Service announced the first convictions for identity-verification offences. Three directors were fined after failing to comply with the new rules.
For SME owners and directors, the message is clear: identity verification should now be treated as part of normal Companies House compliance.
What changed?
From 18 November 2025, identity verification became compulsory for new directors and people with significant control (PSCs).
For existing directors, a 12-month transition period began on the same date. Existing directors generally need to provide their Companies House personal code as part of the company’s next confirmation statement during that transition period.
This means there is not one universal deadline for every director.
Your own due date depends on your role and circumstances.
What happened in the first prosecutions?
The first court action for identity-verification offences resulted in three directors being fined at City of London Magistrates’ Court on 16 September 2026.
The cases are important because they show that Companies House identity verification is no longer simply an administrative change that businesses can leave until later.
It is now a compliance matter with potential enforcement consequences.
What should existing directors do?
Existing directors should check three things:
- Have I verified my identity?
- Do I have my Companies House personal code?
- Has that code been connected to each relevant directorship?
Once an individual successfully verifies their identity, Companies House issues an 11-character personal code. The code belongs to the individual, not the company.
If you are a director of more than one company, the same personal code is used, but it must still be provided for each company as required.
My accountant files my confirmation statement — do I still need to do anything?
Yes.
Having an accountant or company secretarial adviser file documents for you does not remove the underlying identity-verification requirement.
Your accountant may be able to help with the process, particularly if they are registered as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), but directors should not assume verification has happened automatically.
A useful question to ask is:
“Have I been verified, and have all of my relevant Companies House roles been connected correctly?”
What if I am also a PSC?
Directors and PSCs can have separate obligations.
Existing PSCs generally have a specific 14-day period in which they must provide their personal code and confirm that they have verified their identity.
The timing depends on whether the PSC is also a director and when the role began.
That is why directors who are also PSCs should not assume that dealing with one role automatically completes the other.
What if I am a director of several companies?
The identity-verification process itself is generally completed once.
You then use your personal code across the relevant company appointments.
However, completing the process for one company does not necessarily mean every other directorship has been dealt with.
This is particularly important for directors of group companies or individuals with several owner-managed businesses.
Why this matters now
Companies House originally described the rollout as a 12-month transition period, with an estimated 6 to 7 million individuals needing to verify by mid-November 2026.
The recent prosecutions show that enforcement is already active where legal obligations have not been met.
For SMEs, this means identity verification should now sit alongside other recurring company-secretarial checks such as:
- confirmation statements;
- director and PSC records;
- registered office details; and
- statutory filing deadlines.
Our view
Identity verification should now be treated as a standard part of company administration rather than a one-off Companies House exercise.
In our view, the biggest risk for many SMEs is assumption: directors may believe that because their accountant files the confirmation statement, identity verification has already been completed.
That may not be the case.
We would recommend that directors check their status now, particularly where they hold several directorships or are also registered as a PSC.
It is much easier to resolve any mismatch in personal details, missing verification or unconnected roles before the next filing date becomes urgent.
About this article
Written by: We Are Pi Chartered Certified Accountants
Reviewed by: Angelique Wright FCCA
Last reviewed: 19 September 2026
Sources and further guidance: Companies House and GOV.UK guidance on identity verification, personal codes, confirmation statements and the September 2026 enforcement action.
About We Are Pi
We Are Pi is a Buckinghamshire-based firm of Chartered Certified Accountants supporting owner-managed businesses, company directors and individuals with accounting, tax, compliance and business advisory services.
Important information: This article is intended for general information only and should not be treated as legal, accounting or other professional advice specific to your circumstances. Companies House requirements depend on individual roles and circumstances, and legislation and guidance can change.
Would you like to check that your Companies House records and identity-verification requirements are up to date?
We Are Pi can help review your company information, confirmation-statement position and director or PSC records, and identify where further Companies House action may be required.
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