How to Verify Your Identity with Companies House (UK)

What you will need (IMPORTANT)

Before you start, please make sure you have:

A smartphone with a camera (iPhone or Android)

One of the following types of photo ID:

biometric passport from any country
UK photo driving licence (full or provisional)
UK biometric residence permit (BRP)
UK biometric residence card (BRC)
UK Frontier Worker permit (FWP)

And

An email address
Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data)

You’ll also need:

your current address, and the year you moved in
to sign in to or create a GOV.UK One Login

📌 Please do not use a laptop or desktop for taking photos – the system works best on a smartphone.

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Go to Companies House

Visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/verify-your-identity-for-companies-house
or visit GOV.UK One Login

Click “Verify your identity”
Create an account if you don’t already have one.

Step 2: Sign in

Step 3: Start identity verification

Click “Verify your identity”
Choose the option to verify online yourself

Step 4: Switch to your smartphone (Very Important)

You will be asked to use a smartphone to take photos.

You can either:

Continue directly on your phone, or
Scan a QR code shown on the screen using your phone camera

This will open a secure Companies House page on your smartphone.

Step 5: Take photos using your phone

On your smartphone, you will be guided step by step to:

Take a photo of your passport or driving licence
Take a selfie (photo of your face)

📌 Tips:

Use good lighting
Make sure the full document is visible
Remove hats, glasses, or face coverings

Step 6: Submit and wait

Submit the photos
Verification usually completes within a few minutes

You will see confirmation once your identity is verified.

Step 7: Personal Verification Code (Very Important)

Once your identity is verified, Companies House will provide you with a Personal Verification Code (PVC).

📌 This code is very important:

Please save it safely
You must share this code with your accountant
The code is required for future Companies House filings and submissions

Key Points to Remember

Verification is free
It only needs to be done once
This is a legal requirement for directors and PSCs

Important Note for Non-UK Residents

The identity verification process for non-UK residents is mostly the same as for UK residents.

In summary:

Use a smartphone to complete verification
A valid passport is required (non-UK passports are accepted)
Upload your passport and take a selfie
Verification may take slightly longer in some cases

Once approved, Companies House will issue a Personal Verification Code (PVC).
Please save this code securely and share it with your accountant, as it is required for future Companies House submissions.

If you are unable to complete online verification, please contact us for assistance.

How to verify if you do not have these types of photo ID

Use this GOV.UK One Login service to find out how you can verify your identity.

If you live in the UK, the service will let you know if you can verify:

with bank or building society details - you’ll then need to provide your National Insurance number and answer some security questions
in person at the Post Office - you’ll need to enter your photo ID details in this service first

Note: This information has been compiled from the Gov.uk website and is provided as general guidance only.
Last updated: 17/12/2025

How to Verify Your Identity with Companies House (UK)

How to verify if you do not have these types of photo ID

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