Companies House personal code

When you verify your identity for Companies House, you get a personal code. Directors and people with significant control (PSCs) give this code to Companies House to show they're verified.

What the personal code is

It's 11 characters long.^source
It belongs to you, not to a company. You use the same code for every company you're involved in, so you only verify once.^source
It proves who you are, so keep it as private as you would a tax reference or a password.

How to get your personal code

You get the code by verifying your identity, in one of three ways:

Route	Cost	When you get the code
GOV.UK One Login, using the app, online questions or photo ID details^source	Free	When verification is complete
At a Post Office, after starting online^source	Free^source	Usually within 1 day, in the result email
Through an authorised agent (ACSP), from any country^source	The agent may charge	Within a few hours, by email

Which ID you need, and the step-by-step routes, are in our identity verification guide.

Where to find your personal code

Sign in to your Companies House account and open the "Manage account" tab: the code is shown there.^source If you verified after 8 July 2026, Companies House also emailed it to you. If you verified through an agent, the code goes to the email address you gave them.^source

When you need to give your personal code

Who	When to give the code
Directors of existing companies	With the company's next confirmation statement
New directors	With the appointment filing, or when incorporating a company
PSCs who are not directors	First 14 days of birth month^source
PSCs who are also directors	A 14-day window from the day after the confirmation statement date^source

A PSC who needs more time can ask for an extension of up to 14 days, but must ask before the deadline passes.^source Existing directors and PSCs are being brought in over 12 months from 18 November 2025, and each person has their own due date.^source

Why it matters for your confirmation statement

A company can't file its confirmation statement until every director is verified.^source If a director's code is missing when the statement is due, the filing is late, so check everyone has verified well before your confirmation statement date. You can see the date for any company with the company search.

Frequently asked questions

How many characters is a Companies House personal code?

It is 11 characters long. Copy it exactly as shown in your Companies House account or the email you received.

Do I need a different personal code for each company?

No. The code belongs to you, not to a company. You verify once and use the same code for every company where you are a director or a person with significant control.

I have lost my personal code. What do I do?

Sign in to your Companies House account and open the "Manage account" tab, where the code is shown. If you verified after 8 July 2026, it was also emailed to you.

Is the personal code the same as the company authentication code?

No. The authentication code belongs to a company and is used to file for it online. The personal code belongs to a person and shows they have verified their identity.

What if a director has not verified when the confirmation statement is due?

The company cannot file its confirmation statement until every director is verified, so verify early. See confirmation statements.

Sources

Facts last checked 31 October 2026. See all sources.