Companies House will switch on mandatory identity checks for company directors and people with significant control on Tuesday 18 November 2025. The rollout will run for 12 months; officials estimate 6 to 7 million individuals will need to verify by mid‑November 2026, with more than 300,000 already verified during the voluntary phase. We map what changes for boards, finance teams and company secretaries.

Timing is straightforward. New directors appointed on or after 18 November must verify before incorporation or appointment. Existing directors confirm they have verified at the same time as filing their next annual confirmation statement during the transition year. Existing PSCs must verify within 14 days of their appointed day inside that 12‑month window. From 18 November, due dates for each role will be visible on the register.

Verification routes are flexible. Individuals can use GOV.UK One Login, work through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), or use supported in‑person options if needed. One Login is free and typically quick. Once verified, you receive a personal code and, from 18 November, must provide that code and a verification statement for every company role you hold when you file.

The legal stakes are real. The Act introduces section 167M into the Companies Act 2006, making it an offence for an individual to act as a director while unverified and placing a duty on companies to prevent that. Section 167N adds a separate offence for acting as a director before a timely appointment notification is filed. Government guidance also flags potential fines and disqualification if you ignore the rules.

For existing directors, the practical trigger is the next confirmation statement. During the 12‑month transition, a company must deliver an identity verification statement for any director in post before 18 November at the same time as that next statement. Remember that the confirmation statement’s delivery period ends 14 days after the review period closes-so plan for a tight filing window.

PSCs follow a slightly different timetable. If a PSC is also a director, their 14‑day window runs from the company’s confirmation statement date. If a PSC is not a director, the 14‑day window starts on the first day of the month of birth recorded on the register-for example, a PSC shown as March 1990 starts on 1 March 2026. Check the register now so birth months are accurate.

Some requirements arrive later. Identity verification for limited partnerships, corporate directors of companies, corporate members of LLPs and officers of corporate PSCs will commence at a later date. Companies House will contact firms directly as phasing dates approach, but governance teams should factor this into 2026 planning.

On privacy, the Act keeps identity verification material off the public register. Companies House has indicated the register will show if someone remains unverified after the transition, but the supporting identity data itself is not published. The agency’s privacy notice confirms verification information is withheld from public view.

The admin to‑do list is manageable. Start by pulling a complete list of directors and PSCs across your group, and check the Companies House record shows the correct month of birth for any PSC who is not a director. Decide who will use One Login and who prefers an ACSP‑assisted route. Overseas directors who need extra support can use the Post Office option.

Finance teams should update controls now. Build identity checks into director onboarding, require the personal code before completing appointments, and add verification status to the confirmation‑statement checklist. Because each role needs the personal code, directors with multiple appointments should verify once and keep the code safe for reuse.

Expect a firmer line on filing discipline too. The Act expands disqualification routes for persistent breaches of companies legislation, signalling tougher consequences for serial late or non‑compliance. The direction of travel is clear: verified officers, clean data and timely filings. Early verification reduces friction later.