November 2026: The Hard Deadline for Board Identity Verification
17 November 2026 is the final deadline for Companies House identity verification. Failure to comply results in £5,000 fines and personal liability.
November 2026: The Hard Deadline for Board Identity Verification
The era of "set and forget" company secretarial work is over. The UK Government has set a hard deadline of 17 November 2026 for all directors and persons with significant control (PSCs) to complete identity verification (IDV) Companies House.
The Cost of Negligence
Ignoring this deadline is not an option. Failure to verify will prevent the filing of confirmation statements. The consequences are severe:
- Civil Penalties: Fines up to £5,000.
- Personal Liability: Directors may face disqualification.
- Strike-Off: The company could be removed from the register entirely.
Digital Reform Costs
Effective 1 February 2026, Companies House hiked filing fees significantly. A standard digital filing rose from £13 to £50, while paper filings spiked to £110 GOV.UK. This is a clear signal: the regulator is taxing inefficiency.
Board members are now personally accountable for these mandates. If your CoSec function isn't ready for November, you are exposing the board to unnecessary risk.
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