Company Secretarial
How to Verify Your Identity and Obtain Your Unique Filing Reference with Companies House
From 18 November 2025, all company directors must verify their identity with Companies House.
Once verified, directors will be issued with a unique filing reference (also referred to as a “personal code”), which will need to be used whenever filing company information directly on Companies House.
As your registered agent (ACSP) we are happy to help with this process however, if you would prefer to do this yourself you can do so directly through the Companies House website. Feel free to use the basic steps below or download our more detailed Step by Step PDF guide
We recommend verifying your identity on a Smartphone but there is also the option to verify via a desktop / tablet. This method requires you to answer some security questions about things like your mobile phone contract, bank accounts, credit cards, loans or mortgages and you will need to enter details from either a UK passport, UK photocard driving licence or a UK current bank account (the steps below are for verifying your identity using a smartphone).
Step 1: Create a GOV.UK One Login
Step 2: Prepare Your ID Documents
You will need one of the following:
- A UK passport
- A UK photocard driving license
- Non-UK Passport with biometric chip
- A UK biometric residence permit/card
- UK Frontier Worker permit
Step 3: Complete the Verification Process
- Follow the on-screen prompts to verify your identity, confirming what type of ID you have and what type of device you are using
- If you have a passport it will ask you to download the GOV.UK ID Check app, follow the prompts to take a photo of your passport page, scan the biometric chip on your passport and then scan your face with your selfie camera
- Lastly, once your ID has been matched, you will be prompted to enter your postcode in order to find your address. Confirm and click "continue to the service" where the final checks will be made
Step 4: Receive Your Unique Filing Reference
- The final step will confirm 'Identity verification complete' and your Companies House personal code will be displayed
- Take a screenshot and or keep this code somewhere safe as you will need it for future filings
- Email your unique filing reference to laura.lanaway@turpinba.co.uk
- You only need to go through the verification process once; your filing reference will remain valid indefinitely
Ensuring that your business remains fully compliant with company law and statutory obligations is vital. Legislation is always evolving, and keeping up can be time-consuming and risky. Our company secretarial services give you peace of mind, we handle your obligations in full so you don't have to.
Our company secretarial services include:
- Company formations
- The preparation and filing of statutory returns
- Advice regarding the new “Confirmation Statement” regime
- The preparation of all documentation related to minutes and resolutions
- Maintenance of statutory books
- General advice on company law
We always offer the first meeting free with no obligations to commit
