The most important Companies House change did not begin when identity verification became mandatory in 2025.
The turning point came earlier, with the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. The Act gave the registrar a broader role and new powers intended to improve the accuracy and integrity of the companies register and reduce its misuse.
Identity verification, authorised agents and stronger filing controls were implementation stages of that deeper change.
Key takeaways
- The 2023 reform changed the institutional role of Companies House before all the new services and duties were operational.
- Identity verification and Authorised Corporate Service Providers were phased in later and should not be written back into 2023 as if they were already mandatory.
- UK company administration increasingly depends on verified identity, authorised filing channels and credible underlying records, not merely submitting forms on time.
What changed in 2023
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023.
Companies House described the reforms as a major change to UK company law and to its own role.
The legal architecture gave the registrar enhanced powers and created the basis for measures including stronger checks on information, identity verification and greater control over people who file on behalf of companies.
This archive piece carries a createdDate of 31 December 2023. That is an editorial archive date. The legal turning point itself is 26 October.
Why it was a turning point
Historically, Companies House was often treated by users as a filing destination.
Submit the incorporation. File the confirmation statement. File the accounts. Keep the public register updated.
The 2023 reform pushed the institution toward a more active gatekeeping function.
That shift matters because corporate registries sit at the foundation of other systems. Banks, counterparties, tax authorities and AML professionals use registry information to understand who a company is, who controls it and whether its public record is coherent.
Improving identity and data quality therefore has effects beyond Companies House itself.
What was misunderstood
The most common timeline error is to say that the Act instantly made every director verify identity in October 2023.
It did not.
The reforms needed secondary implementation, technology and phased commencement.
The opposite mistake is to dismiss the Act because some obligations arrived much later. That also misses the point. The 2023 law was the legal foundation that allowed Companies House to change its operating model over the following years.
The retrospective must separate legislative authority from implementation date.
What happened next: ACSPs
On 18 March 2025 Companies House opened registration for Authorised Corporate Service Providers.
The ACSP regime matters because third-party agents who verify identity or perform specified filing functions are no longer simply commercial intermediaries. They enter a formal oversight framework and must meet requirements including UK AML supervision.
That creates a clearer chain of responsibility between the registry, the agent and the company.
Identity verification begins
On 8 April 2025 Companies House launched voluntary identity verification through GOV.UK One Login and via ACSPs.
This was the operational bridge between the 2023 legislation and mandatory verification.
From 18 November 2025, identity verification began to become a legal requirement for new directors and for existing directors and persons with significant control through a phased transition.
The 12-month rollout matters. “Mandatory from 18 November” did not mean every existing individual had the same deadline that day.
What changed since then?
By 2026 identity verification is an active legal requirement and the ACSP framework is operational.
Companies House maintains current guidance on when people need to verify, how authorised agents operate and how the transition applies.
The registry’s role is therefore visibly different from the pre-reform model. It can query information, use enhanced data powers and require stronger identity assurance in core corporate processes.
The change is still being implemented in phases, so current guidance matters more than old formation checklists.
The strongest objection
A reasonable objection is that Companies House still relies heavily on information supplied by companies and agents and cannot independently prove every fact on the register.
Correct.
An active gatekeeper is not an omniscient verifier.
The significance of the reform lies in raising the quality threshold and giving the registrar more tools to challenge, verify and control information. It reduces the gap between “a document was filed” and “the registry has mechanisms intended to test who filed it and whether it is credible”.
What it means for an international owner or business
For overseas founders, the UK remains easy to access corporately. That should not be confused with an absence of ongoing governance.
The practical file now includes questions such as:
- which directors and PSCs need to verify identity and when;
- whether an agent is an ACSP for the relevant function;
- whether registered-office and company information remain accurate;
- whether Companies House, HMRC and banking records are consistent;
- whether the beneficial-ownership story can be evidenced; and
- who is authorised to make filings.
This is where company administration, AML, banking and tax records converge.
The enduring lesson of the 2023 Act is that a legal entity is not just something that exists on a register. Its identity and control increasingly have to be demonstrable.
Sources
- Companies House — Changes to UK company law, 26 October 2023
- Companies House — ECCTA transition plan
- Companies House — ACSP registration launch
- Companies House — Identity verification rollout
Disclaimer
This article is general historical and corporate-regulatory information, not legal, tax or AML advice. Companies House requirements are being implemented in phases and can depend on role and filing date. Current official guidance should be checked before making filings or relying on an agent.
