Companies House identity verification is now part of the routine compliance work for UK companies. For directors and people with significant control (PSCs), understanding what your personal code is used for is no longer something to leave until a filing deadline is approaching.
The personal code is an 11-character identifier issued after an individual successfully verifies their identity. It belongs to the individual, not the company. That distinction is important where someone is a director of several companies, holds PSC positions elsewhere, or uses an accountant or company secretarial adviser to make filings on their behalf. The same code can be used across those roles, but it still has to be connected to each relevant appointment.
The scale of the change is significant. As at 30 June 2026, Companies House recorded 4.71 million verified director appointments, equivalent to 55.3% of director appointments, and 2.57 million verified individual PSC appointments, or 41.9%, according to the latest Companies House management information.
For businesses, the practical task is not simply to obtain a code. It is to make sure the right code is used for the right role at the right time, while the underlying Companies House record is accurate.
What your personal code is used for in practice
Once identity verification is complete, Companies House issues a personal code. Its personal code guidance confirms that the code is personal to the individual and is used to connect a verified identity to the roles held on the register.
For an existing director, the code must be provided as part of the company’s next confirmation statement. A new director appointed from 18 November 2025 must provide the code as part of the appointment filing, while a person becoming a director during incorporation will need it for the incorporation filing.
The same code can therefore follow one person across several companies. Knowing what your personal code is used for helps avoid a common misunderstanding – it is not a new code for each company. It is also different from the company authentication code used to authorise online filings.
Directors and PSCs have separate filing steps
A person who is both a director and a PSC of the same company only needs to verify their identity once, but the personal code must be provided separately for each role. For directors and PSCs, what your personal code is used for therefore depends on the capacity in which it is being submitted.
For the director role, the code is supplied through the company’s confirmation statement. For the PSC role, it is provided through the separate Companies House PSC verification service. Existing PSC deadlines depend on the individual’s circumstances, and Companies House now shows the relevant due dates on the public register. Companies House guidance on when to verify sets out the current timing rules.
For example, if someone is both a director and PSC, their 14-day PSC period starts the day after the company’s confirmation statement date. If they are a PSC but not a director of that company, the deadline falls within the first 14 days of their birth month. Filing the confirmation statement early does not move the PSC deadline.
That is why what your personal code is used for needs to be understood alongside the filing timetable, not in isolation.
Keep the underlying Companies House record tidy
Identity verification depends on Companies House being able to match the verified individual with the information already held on the register. A clear understanding of what your personal code is used for only helps if that underlying record is accurate.
Common causes of problems include an incorrectly entered personal code, an incorrect date of birth on the Companies House record, or incorrect details supplied by an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). Companies House advises that errors should be corrected before the verification details are submitted.
A sensible internal check should cover:
- Names and dates of birth: Confirm that the Companies House record agrees with the details used during identity verification.
- Director appointments: Check that active and historic appointments are recorded correctly.
- PSC positions: Confirm that the company’s PSC register reflects the current ownership and control position.
- Personal codes: Keep codes securely and make sure advisers receive the correct code where they file on the individual’s behalf.
- Confirmation statement dates: Track the filing date and any linked PSC verification window.
Our company secretarial service can help businesses keep these records and filing obligations organised, particularly where there are several directors, shareholders or group companies.
Treat the code as a personal compliance credential
A personal code should not be circulated more widely than necessary. Companies House says it can be shared with trusted people who file on the individual’s behalf, including an accountant, but it should otherwise be kept secure. If a code is believed to have been compromised, Companies House can issue a replacement and cancel the previous code.
Once the team understands what your personal code is used for, access can be limited to the people who actually need it. For finance teams and company secretarial functions, this calls for a simple control process. Record who has verified, where each code is held, who is authorised to use it and which filings still require action. Avoid saving codes in shared documents or email chains accessible to people who do not need them.
This will become more relevant as Companies House extends identity verification further. It has said that identity verification for people who file information on behalf of companies will be introduced at a later stage. Current guidance states that these requirements will not begin before November 2026. Our guide to digital filing at Companies House covers another part of the wider move towards more controlled digital company reporting.
Make verification part of the company compliance calendar
Understanding what your personal code is used for is really about making identity verification part of normal corporate administration. Directors and PSCs should know their due dates, companies should check that the register reflects the correct personal details, and anyone filing on their behalf should have a controlled way to obtain and use the relevant code.
The risk of leaving this until the last minute is practical as well as legal. A date-of-birth mismatch, missing code or incorrect appointment record can prevent the verification step from being completed when a confirmation statement or PSC deadline is already close. Companies House states that failure to meet identity verification requirements can result in enforcement action, including financial penalties, fines or prosecution depending on the circumstances.
For groups, professional firms and owner-managed businesses with several appointments, we recommend keeping a central record of verification status and checking it alongside the annual compliance calendar. Knowing what your personal code is used for should form part of that process rather than being treated as a one-off administrative task.
If you would like us to review your director and PSC records, filing dates and verification process so you are clear on what your personal code is used for, contact Venthams to discuss the next steps.