Companies House ID verification has been fully operational since 18 November 2025 – just over six weeks now. So how is it going so far?
I have to say that I don’t think it’s going too well. The most recent figures I have suggest that more directors/PSCs are failing to file codes on time than actually are filing them on time.
As you will know, the Companies House ID verification is a two-stage process. The first stage involves the individual having their identity verified and Companies House issuing an 11-character personal ID code to that individual.
The second stage involves that individual, or someone else acting on their behalf, using that code in relation to a specific directorship, or PSCship, in relation to the relevant company. There is a filing ‘window’ in relation to each directorship and in relation to each PSCship – the window is about 14 days long.
The dates on which each window opens and closes can be found by searching against each directorship and PSCship on the Companies House record.
The 11-character personal ID code cannot be used before the relevant window opens, but can still be used after the window has closed.
The code needs to be entered for every directorship and PSCship which a person holds. For example, I am a director of four companies and a PSC of the same four companies. So I have eight different windows and will need, over a period of a year, to enter my 11-character personal ID code eight times onto the Companies House systems.
Perhaps it is not surprising that many directors and PSCs are not keeping up with these new requirements.
Some accountancy firms are using specially designed software to help them deal with these filing requirements for client companies. The idea is that directors and PSCs of client companies will notify the accountants of their 11-character personal ID code and the accountants will then ensure that each individual’s code is submitted in all the appropriate windows. Without software this could be an administrative nightmare!
What are Companies House doing to improve compliance?
Companies House have started to chase up late submissions. They are sending out warnings of potential penalties. But already there are more than 100,000 directors/PSCs who are late submitting their codes – and we are only six weeks into the new requirements.
Is there any good news?
One potentially positive aspect to these new requirements is that they have provided an opportunity for accountants to improve their documentation of the identification of directors and PSCs of their client companies.
So every cloud has a silver lining …
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