Authorised Corporate Service Provider

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The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 has reformed the role of the UK Companies House by introducing a new identity verification process to help deter those wishing to use companies for illegal purposes and to improve transparency, trust and accuracy of information on the Companies House register. Anyone setting up, running, owning or controlling a company in the UK will need to verify their identity to prove they are who they claim to be.

 From 8 April 2025, company directors and people with significant control (PSCs) are able to voluntarily verify their identity for UK Companies House. By autumn 2025, it will be a compulsory requirement for identity verification (with photo ID) to be carried out for incorporations and new appointments for new directors and PSCs and starting is the 12 month transition period for existing companies who will need to provide identity verification for all directors and PSCs when their annual confirmation statement is due. Directors and PSCs will be able to verify their identity directly through GOV.UK One Login, or through a third-party provider, who has been registered and approved as an Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSP).

An ACSP is an individual or organisation who has subscribed with UK Companies House to carry out identity verification checks on behalf of clients for the UK Companies House. A Notary Public is one of the individuals who are qualified to act as an ACSP.

 You will need to verify your identity if you are (for example):

•  A director.
•  The equivalent of a director – this includes members, general partners and managing officers.
• A person with significant control (PSC).

After your identity has been verified, you will get a unique identifier known as a Companies House personal code. The code is personal to you, not your company or a company you work for. From autumn 2025, you will need your personal code for various reasons. For example:

• When you file your confirmation statement.
• If you are appointed as a director.
• If you become a person with significant control.

If you are currently a director or a PSC, you will need to use your Companies House personal code to connect your verified identity to UK Companies House’s records. This is a legal requirement, and will ensure that UK Companies House know the correct identity is linked to any roles you hold. If you do not verify your identity, you will not be able to: a) make any filings or b) start a new company or entity. In addition, if you do not comply with identity verification requirements on time, you will be committing an offence and may have to pay a financial penalty or fine.

• Directors: if you are currently a director, from autumn 2025, you will need to provide your personal code as part of your company’s next confirmation statement filing. If you become a director after autumn 2025, you will need to provide it as part of your appointment filing or when you incorporate a company. As soon as it becomes a legal requirement, if you continue to act as a director without verifying your identity, you will be committing an offence and could be disqualified. The company (or entity) and all directors may also be committing an offence.

• PSCs: from autumn 2025, you will need to provide your personal code to Companies House for your role as a PSC. As soon as it becomes a legal requirement, if you continue to act as a PSC without verifying your identity, you will be committing an offence.

John Olatunji is a Notary Public (regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury) who is registered with UK Companies House as an ACSP and as a result is able assist individuals and businesses who need to meet the verification requirements of UK Companies House. John is able to complete the verification checks remotely or in person.

If you require the assistance of a Notary Public to verify your identity for UK Companies House, contact John. 

What John will need from you in order to verify your identity for UK Companies House (to meet their identity verification standard) are your:

• Full name (as it is shown on at least one of the identity documents you provide) and any former names.
• Date of birth.
• Home address: address history for the last 12 months.
• Email address: the email address you give can only be used once to verify someone’s identity. UK Companies House will use this to send that individual’s unique identifier, known as a ‘Companies House personal code’. This code is an 11 character code that you can use to connect your verified identity to UK Companies House’s records. When you use your personal code to connect your verified identity to UK Companies House’s records, they will upload an identity verification statement to the company’s filing history, which includes the:

1. Your name.
2. John’s name (as the person who verified your identity).
3. Name of the Anti-Money Laundering supervisory body John is registered with: the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
4. Date John completed your identity checks. 

John will need (in date) documents as evidence of your identity and to keep records of all identity checks he completes, including copies of the documents. John will need to keep record for 7 years from the date he completed the identity checks. To verify your identity, you will need to provide John with 2 documents in total, which must be either:

• 2 documents from group A below, or;
• 1 document from group A, and 1 document from group B below.

If you do not reside in the UK, you must provide at least one government issued identification document.

Group A documents are:

• passport or Irish passport card – these can be up to 18 months expired
• identity card with biometric information from the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
• UK biometric residence permit (BRP) – these can be up to 18 months expired
• UK biometric residence card (BRC)
• UK accredited PASS card
• UK or EU driver digital tachograph card
• UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and EU photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
• UK HM Forces ID Card
• UK HM Armed Forces Veteran Card
• UK Frontier Worker permit
• photographic work permit (government issued)
• photographic immigration document
• photographic visa
• UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man firearms licence
• another type of photographic ID listed on PRADO - such as a National Identity Card (Pakistan), crew member certificate (South Africa), or Permanent Resident Card (USA)

Group B documents are:

• birth or adoption certificate
• marriage or civil partnership certificate
• non-photographic immigration document
• non-photographic visa
• non-photographic work permit
• bank or building society statement
• UK local authority or social housing rental agreement – this must be for the person’s current address
• mortgage statement – this must be for the person’s current address
• UK council tax statement – this must be for the person’s current address
• utility bill – this must be for the person’s current address