The Latest Changes under ECCTA: Out with the Old Registers, In with the Verified Directors

This week marks a significant shift in corporate compliance.

From 18 November 2025, Companies House implemented further changes under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, which primarily involves making identity verification mandatory for individual directors and persons of significant control (PSCs). 

This change comes at a time when promoting corporate transparency and taking steps to prevent economic crime is at the forefront of Companies House’s priorities. Failure to comply with the new legislation and notification requirements under the Companies Act 2006 could mean that individuals and the company alike could face liabilities and fines. 

Verification of ID – Individual directors and PSCs

 Identity verification is mandatory in respect of the following:

1. As part of company incorporations and new individual director appointments notified to Companies House on or after 18 November 2025. The statement on incorporation or notification of appointment filing must state that each individual named as a director of the company has verified their ID and include their personal code. The new legislation adopted as part of the Companies Act 2006 requires that an individual cannot act as a director of the company, and there is an onus on the company to ensure that an individual does not act as a director of the company, unless their identity has first been verified.
2. For any new individual PSCs notified to Companies House on or after 18 November 2025. Confirmation that a PSC has verified their ID must be included in the notification filing together with their personal code, or within 14 days of being added to the Companies House register.
3. For existing directors and PSCs on 18 November 2025, confirmation of ID verification will be required as follows:

• Existing directors - the next confirmation statement filed on or after 18 November 2025 must include confirmation that each director has verified their ID and included their personal codes.
• Existing PSCs who are also directors of the company - in addition to the above, PSCs must confirm ID verification and provide their personal code using the separate service for PSCs within 14 days of the company’s confirmation statement date.
• Existing PSCs who are not directors of the company – PSCs must confirm their ID verification and provide their personal code within the first 14 days of their birth month. For example, if their date of birth is 22 January, the 14-day period will begin on 1 January. 

Companies House will notify companies and PSCs directly with those requirements. The intention is that, within the next year, all directors and PSCs registered at Companies House will have their ID verified. 

For more information on how Companies House will be enforcing these new changes, please refer to this guidance on their approach to non-compliance with mandatory identity verification. 

Abolition of Local Registers

The abolition of local registers has also come into effect from 18 November 2025. 

This change means that companies now only need to keep and maintain its register of members going forward and, as a result, there is no need for any registers of directors, secretaries, directors’ residential addresses, or PSCs to be kept or maintained. However, companies should ensure that all such information currently recorded in those registers is notified to, and kept up to date at, Companies House.

It is unlawful for a director to act as a director without completing identity verification. The company may also be breaking the law if one of its directors or equivalent are not verified. PSCs who do not verify their identities may also be committing an offence.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/companies-house-approach-to-non-compliance-with-mandatory-identity-verification/companies-house-approach-to-non-compliance-with-mandatory-identity-verification#background-to-identity-verification-