Failure to do complete ID verification will be a criminal offence
Each director and PSC (Person with Significant Control) of a limited company is required to provide proof of identity. This measure is designed to combat fraud.
Directors and the PSC’s are usually the same and, in this case, they only need to verify their identity once.
The following documents can be used for identification: Passport, Photo Driving Licence or any other government-issued identification that includes your photograph and date of birth.
Steps to Register and Verify Your Director ID
- Create an Account on the Companies House Website: If you don’t already have an account, you’ll need to create one. Visit the Government website here and follow the instructions: here
- Watchpoint: EACH director must do this and must have their own email. (If you already have a Companies House account, for any reason, you must use the same email address, so it can be linked to the Gov.UK One Login account)
- The easiest way is to use your smartphone to verify your ID, although you can have this done at selected Post Office’s if you are not comfortable with smartphone apps.
- If your ID is successful, you will receive an email that will confirm that your director ID has been successfully registered and verified.
- You will also be given a personal 11-character code that can be viewed when you log on to your companies house account.
- The ID verification is a ‘one-time’ requirement so your personal code can be used for multiple directorships.