# Companies House ID Verification Needs Evidence, Not Reminders

**Category:** COMPANY-SECRETARIAL
**Author:** John Hotham, CEO, Simplif-i
**Published:** 2026-10-11
**Read Time:** 5 min read

## Summary
A reminder sent is not a verification control completed. Track each director and PSC obligation, the filing route, responsible owner and proof of completion.

## Full Content
# Companies House ID Verification Needs Evidence, Not Reminders

A calendar reminder proves that somebody sent a reminder. It does not prove that the right person verified their identity, supplied the correct personal code through the required route or completed the relevant filing step.

Companies House identity verification began on 18 November 2025. Requirements and timing differ by role and circumstance, so do not treat 18 November 2026 as one universal deadline for every director and person with significant control. Check the current individual requirement in official guidance. [GOV.UK, When you need to verify your identity for Companies House](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/when-you-need-to-verify-your-identity-for-companies-house) [GOV.UK, Verify your identity for Companies House](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/verify-your-identity-for-companies-house)

![Identity verification linked to role-specific company filing pathways](https://static.prod-images.emergentagent.com/jobs/sched-2866d31f-92d1-431d-ac9f-1a8d77fdfd4c-1791705660033/images/9c1115c1784d3df2b5f105569566c63759654bc9ab14dae173d0c6e82c33eefe.jpeg)

## Reconcile the people and roles first

Start with current company appointments and PSC information. For each individual, record the company, capacity, applicable action, due date, filing route, internal owner and status. If one person is both a director and a PSC, assess each capacity separately. Do not assume that completion in one role automatically settles the other.

Check the specific filing timetable and current Companies House record. Changes in appointments, PSC status or filing events can change what the company needs to do. Where a date or status is unclear, resolve it using the official guidance before it becomes urgent.

## Keep the personal code under control

A Companies House personal code is sensitive operational information. Restrict access to people who need it for the filing process. Do not leave it in a general team spreadsheet or circulate it in an open email chain. Define a secure method for collection, use and storage, and make sure staff know who is authorised to handle it.

![Secure director identity credentials with a controlled record](https://static.prod-images.emergentagent.com/jobs/sched-2866d31f-92d1-431d-ac9f-1a8d77fdfd4c-1791705660033/images/dc65bfbf649ec49fca9f6e49fe974d42c6d94af529af89b3c54fca34240ca440.jpeg)

## Keep evidence that closes the loop

Record confirmation that identity verification was completed and evidence that the relevant code was supplied through the correct process. Link the evidence to the person, role, company and filing event. Assign an owner to check acceptance or completion, not just submission.

Set an exception route for a person who has not acted, whose details do not match or whose code is unavailable. Escalate to the appropriate company officer early. Record the steps taken and the resolution. A status field marked “complete” without supporting evidence is an assertion, not a control.

![A filing readiness workflow with checkpoints and completion evidence](https://static.prod-images.emergentagent.com/jobs/sched-2866d31f-92d1-431d-ac9f-1a8d77fdfd4c-1791705660033/images/2d22360d0421ad2453934441f8d9fb22f0d12448d3482d22aeaa19a3ef8bee8b.jpeg)

## Review when the company changes

Run the register when appointments, resignations, PSC changes or filing plans change. Before a relevant submission, reconcile the people list, confirm codes are available through the approved process, name the filer and capture the result.

This is basic company secretarial discipline: current data, clear ownership and retrievable evidence. Use the live GOV.UK guidance for each person’s circumstances. Do not rely on a blanket deadline, a forwarded reminder or somebody else’s tracker.

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Source: https://simplif-i.com/api/blog/readable/company-secretarial/cosec-idv-control-evidence-not-reminders-20261011
Web Version: https://simplif-i.com/blog/company-secretarial/cosec-idv-control-evidence-not-reminders-20261011
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