Mandatory Identity Verification for Company Directors and PSCs: What Every business Needs to Know for 18 November 2025

From 18 November 2025, Companies House is implementing a new identity verification regime that will fundamentally change how UK companies and LLPs manage governance, transparency, and compliance.

If you are a company director, LLP member, or a Person with Significant Control (PSC), these rules will apply directly to you, and failing to comply could lead to delays, restrictions, and potential enforcement action.

This article explains what identity verification (IDV) is, who must complete it, the timelines involved, and why UK businesses must prepare well in advance.

Why Identity Verification is Being Introduced

The UK government is overhauling the Companies House framework to:

• Strengthen corporate transparency

• Reduce fraudulent activity and misuse of corporate structures

• increase accountability among directors and individuals who control or influence a company

• improve the accuracy and reliability of the public register

Identity verification sits at the heart of these reforms. It ensures that every individual responsible for a UK company is real, traceable, and properly authorised.

Who Must Complete Mandatory Verification?

1. All newly appointed Company Directors (from 18 November 2025)

   Any person appointed as a director on or after this date must have completed IDV. Without verification:

   • The appointment may not be properly registered

   • Companies House may flag issues with the filing

   • The company could face administrative consequences

2. New LLP Members

   Individuals joining a UK LLP must also verify their identity before or immediately upon appointment.

3. Persons with Significant Control (PSCs)

   Anyone who becomes a registrable PSC must inform the company whether they have completed IDV. If not, Companies House will contact them directly to complete it within a required timeframe.

What about Existing Directors, LLP Members, and PSCs?

If you already held one of these roles before 18 November 2025, transitional provisions will apply. These rules create personalised deadlines for each individual depending on their position and circumstances.

In practice, this means:

• You must complete identity verification

• Companies House will expect you to meet a deadline specific to your role

• Failure to verify in time could impact filings, compliance status, or public information relating to your company.

Because these transitional rules can be complex, businesses are strongly encouraged to obtain professional guidance to ensure every relevant individual completes verification on time.

How Identity Verification Works

Companies House has published detailed guidance on the verification process. In essence:

• Verification can be completed directly via Companies House

• Alternatively, an authorised service provider (such as a regulated agent or legal adviser) may verify your identity on your behalf

• The process typically involves confirming your identity through official documents, facial matching technology, and secure authentication.

Once completed, verfication does not need to be repeated for each company you’re involved in.

Key Change: Abolition of Certain Statutory Registers

Also coming into force on 18 November 2025, the requirement for companies and LLPs to maintain several internal registers will be removed. These include:

• Register of directors

• Directors’ residential address register

• Register of secretaries

• PSC register

• LLP member’s registers and associated address registers

Although businesses may continue keeping internal versions for good practice, these will no longer be statutory requirements. Instead, Companies House will become the single authoritative source for:

• Directors

• PSCs

• LLP members

• Company secretaries

This makes accurate filing, timely updates, and identity verification more important than ever.

Why This Matters for Businesses

1. Verification becomes mandatory for governance to function

   Appointments may stall, filings may be rejected, and the company may face compliance risks if individuals are not verified.

2. The public record becomes the definitive database

   Clients, investors, regulators, and counterparties will rely solely on information filed at Companies House.

3. Transparency and accountability increase

   Directors and PSCs must be real, identifiable individuals, reducing the scope for fraud or misuse of companies.

4. Companies must prepare early

   Collecting documents, educating directors and PSCs, and updating compliance workflows is essential before the deadline.

Preparing for the changes on 18 November 2025: Practical Steps

• Identify all directors, LLP members, and PSCs across your structure

• Check who has already completed identity verification and who has not

• Create an internal compliance timeline aligned with Companies House transitional deadlines

• Educate board members and stakeholders on their new legal obligations

• Ensure filings are accurate and consistent, particularly for PSC information

• Consider using a professional agent to manage verification smoothly

Conclusion

Mandatory identity verification marks one of the biggest shifts in UK corporate governance in decades. With the abolition of key statutory registers and the introduction of personal verification requirements, every business must treat this change seriously.

Companies that prepare early will avoid delays, avoid non-compliance risks, and ensure that their governance framework remains strong, transparent, and fit for purpose in 2025 and beyond.

If you would like guidance tailored to your company’s structure, timelines, and regulatory obligation, Lyon Croft Consulting can assist with full preparation, verification support, PSC analysis, and ongoing compliance.