Companies House Identity Verification

Identity Verification (IDV) is now mandatory in the UK for all Individual Company Directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) of companies registered in England and Wales (E&W). It is the personal responsibility of all Individual Directors or PSCs of E&W companies to prove to Companies House that they are who they say they are.

The IDV process only has to be performed once per individual, regardless of the number of directorships and/or PSC roles that an individual holds. On successful completion of the IDV process, Companies House will issue the individual with a unique 11-digit Companies House Personal Code.

Individuals are not permitted to incorporate an E&W company, be appointed as a new Director or register as a new PSC without submitting a Personal Code to Companies House. It is a criminal offence to act as an Individual Director or PSC without having complied with the IDV requirements.

While UK resident directors or PSCs are permitted to verify their identities online using specified photo ID documentation via their GOV.UK one login, Companies House requires non-UK resident directors or PSCs to verify their identity through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).

Sovereign Corporate & Trustee Services (Sovereign) is registered as an ACSP and is a trusted identity verification partner of UK Companies House. Sovereign offers the digital ‘Sovereign Verify App’ to ensure that the IDV process can be completed as swiftly and seamlessly as possible for non-UK resident directors or PSCs.

IDV is also mandatory for any filings made on the Register of Overseas Entities (ROE), which applies to all non-UK legal entities that hold, or intend to buy, sell or transfer qualifying UK property. All filings on the ROE must first be verified by an authorised agent of Companies House. Sovereign is also a Companies House Assured Agent for the purposes of the ROE.

A Person with Significant Control (PSC), also known as a ‘beneficial owner’, is someone who owns or controls a company. A company can have one or more PSCs. A PSC must meet one or more conditions known as the ‘nature of control’, which typically includes an individual or legal entity that:

• Holds more than 25% shares or voting rights in a company.
• Can appoint or remove a majority of directors.
• Can influence or control a company.

All E&W Companies are required to identify their PSCs and inform Companies House who they are and which of these conditions they meet. If a company cannot identify its PSC(s), or does not have one, it must also inform Companies House.

Individual Directors or PSCs who are resident outside the UK can only verify via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). Sovereign Corporate & Trustee Services Limited (Sovereign) officially registered as an ACSP in March 2025.

For non-UK resident individuals or businesses with UK-linked structures, Sovereign’s ACSP status offers a straightforward route to staying compliant with the evolving demands of UK corporate legislation.

For UK resident individuals, using an ACSP such as Sovereign for IDV purposes expands the list of acceptable verification documents and we will ensure that your IDV checks are completed in time for when you need to provide your personal code to Companies House.

Individual Directors and PSCs who have requested to use our IDV service will receive an email from Sovereign Verify inviting them to download the App. Once downloaded, they will be asked to sign in App and follow the instructions as follows:

• Live scan the two ID documents using the smartphone camera and submit.
• Facial Recognition – scan your face using the front-facing camera (selfie), making sure that your face is completely aligned with the guide on your screen, that you are looking straight ahead and that you keep as still as possible.
• Additional documentation will be required if the ID documents provided do not confirm address history for the last 12 months or if the applicant has changed their name.

If Sovereign is satisfied that the IDV meets the required standard, it will declare to Companies House that the identification has been verified and submit the individual’s details online.

As a registered ACSP, Sovereign is required to keep records of all the evidence and information used to verify an individual’s identity for seven years from the date on which verification is completed. This includes:

• Copies of the documents verified.
• Evidence of the identity checks completed.
• Records of any failed verification attempts.

It is important to note that, unless Companies House requests re-verification, IDV only has to be performed once per individual, regardless of the number of directorships and/or PSC roles that an individual holds. However, their Companies House Personal Code will have to be submitted in respect of every directorship or PSC role.

We recommend that Individual Directors and Individual PSCs should contact Sovereign to initiate the IDV process at least two months before they are required to provide their Personal Code to Companies House for the first time.

This is the first phase of Companies House reform. IDV requirements for Limited Partnerships, Corporate Directors of Companies, Corporate Members of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) and Officers of Corporate PSCs are planned but were not brought into force on 18 November. These will commence at a later date, which has not yet been confirmed by Companies House.