Company administration – Companies House guidance on identity verification

Companies House has published guidance on identity verification (IDV) under the new requirements being introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA).

The ECCTA is introducing IDV requirements for all new and existing company directors (and equivalents for other entities), PSCs and those filing information with Companies House. Individuals can verify their identity in a number of ways, including directly with Companies House (using GOV.UK One Login) or through an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP). See our blog post here for more detail.

Companies House guidance

The guidance that Companies House has published is aimed at ACSPs and includes Guidance on how to meet Companies House identity verification standard.

Where an ACSP is verifying someone's identity, it will have to:

• ask for that person's details (such as full name, date of birth and address);
• see documents that verify their identity;
• check the authenticity of the documentation, either using identification document validation technology (IDVT) if they are provided with compatible documents (such as a biometric or machine-readable passport or photocard driving licence) or manually (and if the evidence is being checked manually, the person must be trained in detecting false documents by a specialist training provider); and
• check the identity belongs to the person claiming it (for example by checking that the documents confirm their name and date of birth and that information held in the electronic chip matches the information on the document and the person claiming it).

Companies House has also published guidance on:

• How to register with Companies House as an ACSP; and 
• The role and responsibility of being an ACSP.

Timing

From 25 February 2025, parties can register to become an ACSP.  From 25 March 2025, individuals will be able to voluntarily verify their identity, ahead of identity verification becoming mandatory for all directors and PSCs on incorporation and appointment in autumn 2025 (with a 12-month transition period for existing directors and PSCs).

For more detail on the identity verification requirements in the ECCTA, see our snapshot here.