Compulsory Companies House ID checks give businesses some breathing room – but it’s still vital to prepare early

Delayed: Companies House delays implementation of compulsory verification and registration for Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs)

November 2025 saw the beginning of a phased implementation for compulsory Companies House identity verification checks to come into force. Requirements originally anticipated to come in by spring 2026 have now been delayed until at least November – but it is still important to prepare early.

Both the requirement relating to compulsory identity verification for any presenter filing a document at Companies House and the requirement for any third-party agent filing on behalf of a company to be registered as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) have been postponed until at least November 2026.

Why the implementation been delayed

The postponement is to enable Companies House to prioritise completion of the transitional period for identity verification of directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs), and to address feedback received before the next wave of changes.

In November 2025, identity verification became a compulsory part of incorporation and appointments of new directors and PSCs, marking the beginning of a 12-month transition phase requiring more than seven million existing directors and PSCs to verify their identities as part of the annual filing of the company’s confirmation statement.

By the end of 2026, Companies House aims to:

• Complete the transitional period for all individuals on the register requiring identity verification;
• Start a campaign of active compliance against those who are yet to verify their identity;
• Be able to conduct broader cross-checking of data and information between its records and other public and private sector bodies; and
• Reject documents delivered by disqualified directors.

What the delay to compulsory ID verification means for businesses

Providing there are no further delays to the timeline, the range of persons who can file documents at Companies House will be restricted by the end of 2026.

An individual will only be able to file documents on their own behalf or on behalf of another individual if the filer has first completed their identity verification.

Filings on behalf of a company will need to be made by an officer or employee of the company whose identity has been verified, or by an ACSP.

How businesses can prepare for the identity verification process

With identity verification becoming mandatory, individuals looking to file documents at Companies House, directors (or their equivalent), PSCs and ACSPs should look to get their identities verified, or registration completed, sooner rather than later to prevent any unexpected delays, issues or falling foul of the regulations.

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