17/09/2025
UK Company Directors Must Verify Identity or Risk Losing Role Under New Law Starting November
By next autumn, UK company directors and significant shareholders will face a new legal duty: prove who they are or risk losing their role. Companies House will begin enforcing identity verification requirements from 18 November 2025.
New directors will need to verify their identities immediately, while existing directors must do so when filing their next confirmation statement. Individuals with significant control (PSCs) must also complete the process according to timelines based on their registration details.
PSCs, depending on whether they are also directors or based on their date of birth, will have different 14-day windows to confirm they’ve completed identity verification after the rules come into force. Verification can be done online or through GOV.UK One Login or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).
According to Companies House, most users will only need to verify once and will receive a personal verification code. GOV.UK One Login, the free online verification tool, currently averages 2.4 minutes per ID check using its document-checking app.
