Summary of the Identity Verification Regime

The introduction of identity verification is one of the key changes to UK company law under the Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA). Directors, people with significant control (PSCs) and those delivering documents to Companies Houses must be ID verified under the provisions of the ECCTA and there will be potential civil and criminal penalties for failure to do so. The voluntary period for identity verification (IDV) opened on 8th April 2025. Mandatory IDV begins on 18th November 2025.

The ECCTA gives Companies House new and enhanced powers to help disrupt economic crime and the IDV regime is a key component of this.

This template gives a brief overview of the IDV regime and sets out:

• what ID verification is;
• who needs to be ID verified;
• the IDV timeline;
• the changes in force from 18th November 2025;
• the use of a unique identifier code;
• the routes to IDV; and
• the consequences of non-compliance.

This overview has been designed to attach to one of the letters that companies can send to their directors or PSCs outlining the IDV regime. 

Note that this overview is designed for a straightforward scenario of verifying a UK based director or PSC in a private limited company. These individuals should find it quick and easy to use the Government’s free One Login Service to IDV. For those companies with groups, overseas directors or have individual directors or PSCs with identity complexities, IDV may be more complicated and may have to be routed through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).

Companies House guidance in relation to the IDV process is available here.

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