Companies House has confirmed that the start date for registration as an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP) has been postponed. It had been expected that registration would open from 25 February 2025.
As part of the measures being introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) to improve transparency and trust in the public register, third-party service providers wishing to submit information to Companies House on behalf of companies or to carry out identity verification (IDV) checks for their clients will need to be registered with Companies House as ACSPs.
Under the ECCTA, all new and existing company directors (and equivalents for other entities), people with significant control (PSCs) and those filing information with Companies House will need to have their identity verified. Service providers which have completed the ACSP registration process with Companies House will be able to conduct the identity checks to fulfil these IDV requirements. Alternatively, individuals will be able to verify their identities directly with Companies House.
The new start date for ACSP registration has not yet been confirmed – Companies House’s October 2024 transition plan (which was updated in February 2025 to reflect this delay) still refers to a “spring 2025” start date. Notwithstanding the delay to ACSP registrations, it remains Companies House’s intention that from 25 March 2025 individuals will be able to voluntarily verify their identity, ahead of IDV becoming mandatory in autumn 2025.
For more detail on the identity verification requirements in the ECCTA, see our snapshot here.
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