Companies House Personal Code: Get It Before You Register

If you are registering a new UK limited company, every director needs a Companies House personal code before the application can go in. You get the code by verifying your identity once, for free, through GOV.UK One Login, or through an authorised agent such as an accountant. It takes most people a few minutes and is the single most common reason a new registration stalls.

18 November 2026 marks one year since identity verification became a legal requirement. This guide covers what that means for new founders, and what existing directors and people with significant control (PSCs) should already have done. Information checked on 14 November 2026.

What is a Companies House personal code?

A personal code is a unique reference Companies House gives you after it has verified who you are. You use it to link your verified identity to your roles, such as director of one company or PSC of another. You verify once and reuse the same code for every company you are involved in. You should not need to verify again unless Companies House asks you to. See the official guidance on verifying your identity.

Keep the code somewhere safe, like a password manager. It is not a password, but you will be asked for it whenever you are appointed to a company.

Why new founders need it before they register

When a new company is registered, Companies House asks for each director's personal code as part of the application. If a director has not verified, the registration cannot be completed. For a solo founder, that is just you. For co-founders, it means everyone on the board needs to verify first. The Companies House timing guidance sets this out.

In practice, this changes the order you do things in:

Before: choose a name, fill in the form, sort out the details afterwards.
Now: verify every director first, collect the codes, then submit the registration.

If you are applying through Free Business Registration, verifying before you start means our team can move straight to filing once your application and partner bank account are in place.

How to verify your identity

There are two routes.

1. GOV.UK One Login (free)

Use the free Verify your identity for Companies House service. You answer some questions about yourself, then prove your identity in one of three ways:

with the GOV.UK ID Check app and photo ID such as a passport or photocard driving licence
by answering security questions online
by entering your photo ID details and visiting a participating Post Office

2. An authorised corporate service provider (ACSP)

Accountants, solicitors and other firms registered as ACSPs can verify you instead. You give them documents from an approved list, and they may charge a fee. This route can help if the app does not work for you or you do not have the right photo ID.

Never post or email identity documents to Companies House. Verification happens through GOV.UK One Login or an ACSP only.

What existing directors should already have done

If you were already a director on 18 November 2025, there was no single calendar deadline. Instead, you must give your personal code as part of your company's next confirmation statement after that date. A company cannot file its confirmation statement unless all its directors are verified.

Confirmation statements are filed at least once a year, so by around 18 November 2026 almost every existing company will have reached that point. If your company filed a confirmation statement this year and you have not provided a code, check your company's record on Companies House now. If you direct more than one company, you need to provide your code for each one.

What PSCs need to do

People with significant control have their own 14-day window to provide a code:

Your situation	When to provide your code
New PSC added after 18 November 2025	When you are added, or within 14 days of being added
Existing PSC who is also a director	As director in the confirmation statement, and as PSC within 14 days starting the day after the confirmation statement date
Existing PSC who is not a director	Within the first 14 days of your birth month

For a solo founder who owns all the shares, you are usually both the director and the PSC, so you will use the same code in both roles. You can check your exact 14-day dates on the Companies House register.

What happens if you do not verify?

Companies House is clear that not verifying on time may be an offence. That can lead to prosecution and a fine, or a financial penalty. Directors who keep acting without complying may be committing an offence, and so may the company and its other directors.

Companies House also plans to publish a note against your name on the public register. You would then be unable to be appointed as a director of a new company or to register a new company until you comply. For a founder, that is the practical risk: an unverified identity can block your next business, not just your current one.

A quick checklist before you register

Every director has verified and has their personal code.
Everyone who will own more than 25% of the shares knows they are a PSC and has verified.
You have a registered office address and a registered email address ready.
You have chosen your SIC code. Our free SIC code finder can help.
You have checked your company name is available.

FAQ

Does identity verification cost anything?

Verifying through GOV.UK One Login is free. An ACSP may charge for verifying you.

How long does it take?

Using the app with a passport or photocard licence is usually quick. The Post Office route takes longer because you need to visit a branch.

Do I need to verify again for a second company?

No. You use the same personal code for each company. You still need to provide it for each role you hold.

Can I register a company before I verify?

No. Companies House asks for each director's personal code as part of the registration filing.

Ready to register?

Once your directors are verified, the rest of the process is straightforward. Start your free registration and our team will guide you from application to incorporation.