Source: https://rivet.global/blog/companies-house-identity-verification
Published: 2026-11-02 · Updated: 2026-11-02 · By William Sunjo M.

# Companies House identity verification for directors living abroad

UK directors and PSCs must verify their identity with Companies House. The deadlines, how to verify from abroad, and what happens if you miss it.

## Key takeaways

- The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 requires directors and people with significant control of UK companies to verify their identity.
- Since 18 November 2025, new directors must verify before they are appointed.
- Existing directors and PSCs have a 12-month transition, verifying by the time of their company's next confirmation statement.
- You can verify through GOV.UK One Login or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, and you receive a personal Companies House code.
- Directors living abroad can verify online with a passport, or through an agent if the app route does not work for them.

Forming a UK limited company used to take minutes and no proof of who you were. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 changed that. Companies House now verifies the people behind each company, and the rollout reaches every existing director by the end of 2026. Founders who run a UK Ltd from another country need to act before their next confirmation statement.

## Who must verify

- Every director of a UK company.
- Every person with significant control (PSC), meaning broadly anyone with more than 25% of shares or votes, or the right to appoint most of the board.
- LLP members.
- Anyone filing documents for a company. Formation agents and accountants do this as Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs).

## The deadlines

| Who | Deadline |
|---|---|
| New directors appointed from 18 November 2025 | Before appointment |
| Existing directors | By the company's next confirmation statement after 18 November 2025 |
| Existing PSCs who are not directors | Within 14 days of the company's confirmation statement date in the same 12-month period |

In practice, every company files a confirmation statement once a year, so all existing directors and PSCs must verify by around November 2026, with the last ones landing in early 2027 depending on the filing date.

## How to verify from abroad

**Option 1: GOV.UK One Login.** Download the GOV.UK ID Check app, scan a biometric passport and take a short video. Many non-UK passports work. When it succeeds, you get a personal code.

**Option 2: an ACSP.** A UK-registered agent checks your documents and verifies you. Use this if the app rejects your document or you cannot complete the video. Most formation agents now offer it for a fee.

Keep your personal code safe. You need it every time you take on a new role at any UK company.

## What happens if you miss it

Acting as an unverified director becomes an offence. Companies House can show on the public register that a person has not verified, and can reject the company's filings. Banks check the register too: an unverified director looks like an unfinished company, and that can delay account openings or reviews. Our [UK Ltd for non-residents guide](/blog/uk-ltd-for-non-residents) covers the rest of running a UK company from abroad.

## Before you open a business account

Have these ready together: certificate of incorporation, the current register showing verified directors and PSCs, each director's passport and proof of address, and a short description of what the company does. The [UK business bank account guide](/blog/uk-business-bank-account-for-non-residents) explains what providers ask non-resident directors for.

## UK companies on Rivet

Rivet opens accounts for UK limited companies whose owners live in the countries we support, with no UK residence needed. GBP details for Faster Payments come with the Growth plan, beside USD and EUR. See [Bank accounts](/accounts).

## Questions

### Who has to verify their identity with Companies House?

Directors of UK companies, people with significant control (PSCs), members of LLPs, and anyone filing on a company's behalf. Agents filing for clients must register as Authorised Corporate Service Providers.

### Can I verify from outside the UK?

Yes. The GOV.UK One Login route accepts biometric passports from many countries through the GOV.UK ID Check app. If that route does not work for your document, an Authorised Corporate Service Provider can verify you.

### What is a Companies House personal code?

A unique code you receive once verified. You give it when you are appointed as a director, when you are named as a PSC, or when you confirm your verified status in a confirmation statement.

### What happens if a director does not verify?

Acting as a director without verifying becomes an offence, and Companies House can mark the register to show the person is unverified. The company's filings can also be blocked.