Director ID Verification: The Deadline You Cannot Miss

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) introduced one of the most significant changes to Companies House in its history: mandatory identity verification for all directors, People with Significant Control (PSCs), and those filing on behalf of companies. This is not an administrative formality - non-compliance carries criminal liability.

Background: why this is happening

The UK's Companies House register has historically been an "information repository" with minimal verification. Anyone could register a company with any director's name - real or invented - and file documents without any identity checks. The ECCTA fundamentally changes this model, requiring Companies House to verify the identity of individuals connected to UK corporate entities. The aim is to prevent the abuse of corporate structures for fraud, money laundering, and economic crime.

Who must verify?

• All directors of UK limited companies and LLPs, including non-executive and shadow directors.
• Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) - typically anyone owning or controlling more than 25% of shares or voting rights, or who otherwise exercises significant influence over the company.
• Overseas directors and individuals named as directors of overseas companies registered at Companies House.
• Anyone authorised to file on behalf of a company - including accountants, solicitors, and company secretaries acting as "Authorised Corporate Service Providers" (ACSPs).

How verification works in practice

There are two routes to verification. The first is direct verification through the Companies House online service - you create a Companies House account, provide identity documents (passport or driving licence), and complete a digital identity check. The second is indirect verification through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider such as an accountant or solicitor who is registered with Companies House for this purpose and can verify your identity as part of their client onboarding.

The verification is linked to your personal Companies House account and is then applied across all the companies you are connected to. You do not need to verify separately for each company - a single verified identity is sufficient.

The implementation timeline

Companies House is implementing the changes in phases. New directors being appointed to companies from the implementation date must verify before or at the point of appointment - they cannot be registered as a director while unverified. Existing directors were given a transition period; those who have not yet verified face restrictions on filing and potential annotation of the register as non-compliant.

The exact deadlines and enforcement dates have been announced by Companies House on a phased basis - the requirement is now active and those who have not engaged with the process should do so urgently.

Consequences of non-compliance

Overseas directors and the practical complications

For directors who are not UK residents, verification requires the submission of non-UK identity documents - passport in particular. The digital verification process supports a range of overseas documents, but the experience is more complex than for UK residents. If your company has overseas directors, it is advisable to plan the verification process well in advance rather than attempting it under time pressure before a filing deadline.

How Metta can help

We are registered as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider with Companies House. This means we can verify the identity of directors and PSCs as part of our service, removing the need for directors to navigate the Companies House system independently. We track verification status across all the corporate structures we manage, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks at filing time.