Companies House Verification Failed - What to Do

If your Companies House identity verification has failed, do not panic. A failed check does not necessarily mean you cannot become or remain a UK company director. In many cases, the problem can be corrected by checking your personal information, identity documents or verification method and trying again.

Why Does Companies House Identity Verification Fail?

A verification attempt can fail for several reasons, including:

• Your name does not match the information held by Companies House

• Your date of birth is incorrect on the company register

• Your identity document is expired or not accepted

• The photograph or document scan is unclear

• Your identity document cannot be matched to you

• The information provided during verification is inconsistent

• There is an issue with the verification technology or process

Companies House advises checking that personal information held on the register matches the details on your identity documents before trying again.

Check Your Companies House Details First

Before attempting another verification, check your director record carefully.

Pay particular attention to:

• Full name

• Date of birth

• Residential information where relevant

• Company appointment details

If your date of birth or other relevant information has been incorrectly recorded, you may need to correct the Companies House record before attempting verification again.

Try Companies House Verification Again

If the problem was caused by an incorrect attempt, unsuitable document or technical issue, you may be able to try the verification process again.

Make sure you are using valid identity documents and that the information you enter matches your official documents.

Avoid repeatedly submitting incorrect information. Identify the reason for the failed attempt first and correct the underlying problem.

Use an Authorised Corporate Service Provider

If you cannot successfully verify through the direct Companies House process, you can use an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, known as an ACSP.

An ACSP can include an accountant, solicitor or other eligible professional registered with Companies House and supervised for anti-money laundering purposes.

The ACSP carries out the identity checks and submits the required verification information to Companies House.

This can be particularly useful for overseas directors or individuals who have difficulty completing the online verification process.

What If You Have Already Verified Through an ACSP?

If an ACSP has successfully verified your identity, you generally should not repeat the verification unless Companies House asks you to.

The ACSP provides the necessary information to Companies House and your personal code is issued to the email address provided during the verification process.

Do Not Ignore a Failed Verification

A failed verification becomes more important if your confirmation statement or another Companies House filing is approaching.

Directors need to complete the required verification and provide their personal code when required. A company cannot successfully file its confirmation statement if its directors have not completed the required verification.

Failure to comply with identity verification requirements by the relevant deadline can result in financial penalties, offences and other Companies House enforcement measures.

Fraser Bond Companies House Verification Support

Fraser Bond provides practical UK company administration and corporate compliance support for directors, property companies, overseas investors and international businesses.

Support can include Companies House identity verification administration, personal code assistance, director compliance, confirmation statement support, PSC requirements and wider UK corporate administration.

If your Companies House verification has failed and you are unsure what to do next, resolving the underlying issue before your next filing deadline can help prevent further compliance problems.

What to Do Next

The best approach is to identify why the verification failed, check that your Companies House information is accurate, make sure your identity documents meet the requirements and retry the appropriate verification route.

If the direct process continues to fail, an Authorised Corporate Service Provider may be able to complete the identity check on your behalf.