Delayed: Companies House delays implementation of compulsory verification and registration for Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs)

Both the compulsory identity (ID) verification for any presenter filing a document at Companies House and the requirement for any third-party agent filing on behalf of a company to be registered as an ACSP have been postponed from spring 2026 until at least November 2026. 

The postponement is to enable Companies House to prioritise completion of the transitional period for identity verification of directors and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs), and to address feedback received from stakeholders before the next wave of changes. 

Since November 2025, Companies House made identity verification a compulsory part of incorporation and appointments for new directors and PSCs, and began the 12-month transition phase to require more than 7 million existing directors and PSCs to verify their identities. Companies may have noticed when filing their latest confirmation statement that the identity verification will happen as part of their annual filing. 

By the end of 2026, Companies House aims to: 

  • Complete the transitional period for all individuals on the register requiring identity verification; 

  • Start a campaign of active compliance against those who are yet to verify their identity; 

  • Be able to conduct broader cross-checking of data and information between its records and other public and private sector bodies; and 

  • Reject documents delivered by disqualified directors. 

What the delay to compulsory ID verification means for businesses

Providing there are no further delays to the timeline, the range of persons who can file documents at Companies House will be restricted by the end of 2026. An individual will only be able to file documents on their own behalf or on behalf of another individual if the filer has first completed their identity verification. 

Filings on behalf of a company will need to be made by an ID-verified officer, employee of the company, or ACSP. 

How businesses can prepare for the identity verification process

With identity verification becoming mandatory, individuals looking to file documents at Companies House, directors (or their equivalent), PSCs and ACSPs should look to get their identities verified before the point at which it becomes compulsory to prevent any unexpected delays, issues or falling foul of the regulations.

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Please be advised that this is an update which we think may be of general interest to our wider client base. The insights are not intended to be exhaustive or targeted at specific sectors as such, and whilst we naturally take every care in putting our articles together, they should not be considered a substitute for obtaining proper legal advice on key issues which your business may face.