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Coddan CPM Ltd. – Company Registration Agent in the UK

Establish the UK route that matches your role, location and Companies House position, then complete only the verification or related step that remains.

Step 1
Establish Your Position
Step 2
Assess UK Circumstances
Step 3
Check Verification Status
Step 4
Select Applicable Route
Step 5
Complete Required Verification
Step 6
Resolve Remaining Steps
Companies Registry's e-Services Portal Identity Verification Director ID Verification Your Company Director Identity Verification through the UK

Your Company Director Identity Verification through the UK

UK Director Identity Verification — Route Orientation

How Your Role, Location and Company Circumstances Affect the Verification Route

The appropriate Companies House identity-verification route depends on your role, the company or UK establishment involved, where you are based, the identity evidence available, whether you have already verified, and which Companies House step remains. Start with your present position rather than assuming that location alone determines the route.

Based in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Your UK nation does not create a separate Companies House identity-verification standard. Establish whether you are an existing or proposed director, which company is involved, whether verification has already been completed and which filing or role-linkage step remains.

Resident overseas — director of a UK company

Overseas residence does not automatically make your case complex or require professional support. You may still need to meet the applicable Companies House requirements, with the available verification method determined by your circumstances and answers.

Director of an overseas company registered in the UK

This is a distinct Companies House category. Do not treat the company's overseas status as the same circumstance as an overseas-resident director of an ordinary UK company.

Already verified or verification may be complete

Do not automatically verify again. Establish whether your Personal Code, director-role linkage or another Companies House filing remains outstanding. If every applicable step is complete, Nothing Further Required may be the correct outcome.

The applicable route is determined by your role, circumstances and remaining Companies House step

Your location is one part of the assessment, not the whole assessment. Consider whether you are a proposed or existing director, whether the company or UK establishment is already registered, what identity evidence you have available, whether Companies House has already issued your Personal Code, whether your director role has been linked, and whether a separate appointment, incorporation, Confirmation Statement, correction or other corporate event remains.

Free official route

GOV.UK One Login

Where identity verification is required, you can use the free GOV.UK route. GOV.UK One Login determines the available verification method from your answers and circumstances. Depending on the route, this may involve an app, online security questions, or photo-ID details followed by a participating Post Office.

Verify your identity through GOV.UK

Optional professional route

Coddan through an ACSP

Where selected, suitable and professionally relevant, you may use Coddan's Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) route. Support being available does not mean support is required, and using Coddan for an applicable verification task does not require you to transfer your company's existing formation, registered-office, secretarial or other services.

The applicable technology performs the identity and document checks. Coddan reviews the resulting information and determines whether it is satisfied that the Companies House standard has been met. Following a successful outcome, Coddan performs its applicable notification responsibility.

Keep the Companies House steps separate

Identity verification is separate from Companies House issuing your Personal Code, linking you to a director role, linking you to a PSC role, incorporation, director appointment, Confirmation Statement filing, correction of company records and other corporate events. Companies House issues the Personal Code following successful verification; Coddan does not create or issue it. A person who is both a director and PSC holds separate roles, although identity verification is not ordinarily repeated merely because the person has more than one role.

Personal Code remains

If verification is complete but the Personal Code is the remaining step, follow the dedicated Personal Code route rather than repeating identity verification.

Director Personal Code guidance

Overseas circumstance remains

If the actual remaining job concerns an overseas-director circumstance, use the specialist route rather than treating overseas residence alone as a reason for professional intervention.

Overseas director identity-verification guidance

Nothing Further Required

If the applicable identity-verification requirement is complete, the Personal Code has been issued where applicable, role linkage is complete and no separate corporate event remains, the correct next step may be Nothing Further Required.

The practical question is therefore not simply "Where do I live?" but "What is my role, which company or UK establishment is involved, what verification has already happened, and which Companies House step remains?" Establish that position first, then take only the route that matches the remaining professional job.


Start Your Business Today: Fast Formation Services to Meet All Compliance Standards

Ensure compliance with Companies House through rapid, secure ID verification for Directors and PSCs. Complete the process online with an authorized ACSP

treamline your compliance with Companies House using our fast, secure ID verification for Directors and PSCs, all completed online by an authorized ACSP
£40.00
+VAT

IdentityGuard Pro™

Recommended for

1
package

Buy Now Identity Verification Bundle™ (Professional Director Identity Verification) – Companies House Director Identity Verification for £40.
The Identity Verification Bundle™ provides a fast, secure and professionally managed route for eligible applicants requiring Companies House director identity verification across the United Kingdom. The same applicable verification standard operates whether the person is based in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland; location alone does not determine whether verification is required or which method is suitable. The standard verification route uses secure Identity Document Validation Technology for eligible documents and may suit straightforward UK or overseas applicants. Coddan reviews the resulting information and determines whether it is satisfied that the applicable Companies House verification standard has been met. First establish the person's role, company or UK establishment, previous verification and remaining Companies House step. Applicants requiring priority handling can compare our fast-track verification route.

For a fixed fee of £40, this package provides a simple online verification route with professional ACSP support. It may suit a proposed or existing director whose eligible documents support the standard digital process, whether the relevant company is registered in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. The package completes an applicable verification task; it does not complete incorporation, appointment, role linkage, a Confirmation Statement or another corporate filing. Companies House separately issues the Personal Code following successful verification. An applicant who is already verified should establish whether only Personal Code use or another Companies House step remains before ordering again. Further guidance is available on our director Personal Code page.



£65.00
+VAT

RapidVerify Pro™

Recommended for

2
package

Buy Now Fast-Track Expert Director ID Verification™ (Priority Director Identity Verification Service) – Priority Companies House Director Identity Verification for £65.
The Fast-Track Expert Director ID Verification™ service provides priority handling where an applicable UK director identity-verification task is time-sensitive. It may suit a proposed appointment, company incorporation, corporate transaction or statutory filing with a genuine timetable, whether the applicant is based in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or overseas. The priority verification route combines secure Identity Document Validation Technology with expedited professional review through Coddan's Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) framework. Where the required information is complete, the documents are eligible and no additional enquiries arise, most applications are processed by Coddan within one business day. This timeframe concerns Coddan's verification handling; it does not guarantee Companies House processing, issuance of the Personal Code or completion of any separate company or director filing.

For £65, eligible UK and overseas applicants receive priority handling and prompt contact if further suitable information is required. The service may be quick and convenient where verification is the actual remaining job and the applicant's documents support the digital route. Priority service does not create a different verification standard for a particular UK nation or allow Coddan to control a technology provider or Companies House decision. Applicants without an urgent timetable can return to the standard £40 verification route. Where the person is resident overseas, their residence does not automatically make the application complex; the suitable route depends on their role, documents and circumstances. Overseas applicants can review our overseas-director verification guidance.



£125.00
+VAT

VerifyFlex Solutions™

Recommended for

3
package

Buy Now Expert Director ID Verification™ (Professional Director Verification Service) – Two Companies House Director Identity Verification Pathways for £125.
The Expert Director ID Verification™ service provides two professionally managed pathways where an applicable UK identity-verification requirement exists but the suitable verification method is not immediately clear. The two-pathway verification route combines Fast-Track Digital Verification for eligible biometric documents with an alternative professionally supervised process where the standard digital pathway is unsuitable. It may assist a UK or overseas applicant whose documents, residence, role or connection with a company or UK establishment requires further consideration. Coddan establishes the relevant verification position, reviews the information produced through the selected process and makes its own satisfaction decision under the applicable Companies House standard. UK location is considered as part of the circumstances but does not create separate verification standards. Applicants requiring individual manual assessment can compare the manual verification package.

For £125, eligible applicants receive access to two verification pathways together with practical guidance concerning the identity evidence appropriate to their circumstances. The service offers useful flexibility to directors based throughout the UK and abroad without assuming that overseas residence or non-standard circumstances automatically require manual verification. The relevant person and legal role must be identified before a route is selected. A director of an ordinary UK company and a director connected with an overseas company registered in the UK should not be treated as the same category merely because both have an international element. Verification also remains separate from Personal Code use and corporate filings. Review our verification guidance by entity type.



£220.00
+VAT

FlexiVerify Option™

Recommended for

4
package

Buy Now FlexiVerify Option™ (Expert Manual Director ID Verification Service) – Professional Manual Companies House Director Identity Verification for £220.
The FlexiVerify Option™ provides individual professional assessment where an applicable UK director identity-verification task cannot be completed through the standard biometric pathway using the applicant's available documents or technology. The manual verification route is available to eligible UK and overseas applicants whose evidence or circumstances require closer assessment under the applicable Companies House standard. Depending on the prescribed route, verification may be conducted remotely or in person and may require suitable photographic identification and supporting evidence. Coddan assesses the information supplied and determines whether it can be satisfied that the required verification standard has been met. This is an authorised alternative—not a back door, a separate standard for one UK jurisdiction or a means of directing the technology provider or Companies House to accept an application.

For £220, this package provides Coddan's highest level of individual support where an eligible applicant's remaining verification task requires manual assessment. It may suit a person based in the UK or overseas whose available documents cannot be handled through the standard biometric route. Payment does not guarantee that the evidence will satisfy the verification standard. Following a successful outcome, Coddan performs its applicable notification responsibility, while Companies House separately issues the Personal Code. Director-role linkage, PSC-role linkage, incorporation, appointment, Confirmation Statement filing and corrections to company records remain separate processes. Applicants who may be suitable for either the digital or alternative pathway should first compare the two-pathway verification package or review our international verification guidance.





UK-wide director route

Start with Your UK Company Connection and Present Director Position

The appropriate Companies House identity-verification route depends on your present role and circumstances. First establish whether you are an existing or proposed director, whether the company is a UK company or an overseas company with a UK establishment, whether you live in the UK or overseas, and which Companies House step remains.

Existing director of a UK company

Check whether your identity has already been verified, whether you have your Personal Code, and whether the applicable director-role confirmation or another company filing remains.

Proposed or new director

Establish whether identity verification and the Personal Code need to be addressed before the applicable appointment or incorporation process.

Former or resigning director

Separate the end of the directorship from identity verification. A resignation, termination or correction of the Companies House record is a separate corporate matter.

Director living overseas

Overseas residence does not by itself create a separate Companies House identity-verification standard. Establish the role, company circumstances and applicable verification route.

Determine the Route from the Role, Company and Remaining Companies House Step

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland operate within the same Companies House identity-verification framework. Where verification applies, the relevant question is not simply where you live or which UK nation the company is connected with, but what role you hold, which company or UK establishment is involved, whether verification has already been completed, and what Companies House action remains.

The same approach applies when a person is both a director and a Person with Significant Control (PSC): the roles have separate Companies House requirements, but holding both roles does not mean identity verification must simply be repeated.

Use the Free Companies House Route or an Optional ACSP Route

Once your position is clear, you can identify the applicable verification route. The GOV.UK One Login route is the free direct Companies House route. You can alternatively ask an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) to verify your identity on your behalf. Support being available does not mean support is required.

Free direct route

GOV.UK One Login

Use the official Companies House service to establish the verification method available to you. Depending on your answers and circumstances, GOV.UK may direct you towards an app-based route, another online method or an in-person Post Office route.

Use the official GOV.UK identity-verification service

Optional professional route

An Authorised Corporate Service Provider

Where selected and professionally relevant, an ACSP can verify your identity on your behalf. The agent must be registered with Companies House as an ACSP and supervised by a UK anti-money-laundering supervisory body. An ACSP may charge a fee. This route must still meet the Companies House identity-verification standard; it is not a bypass or a lower standard.

Where Coddan-supported verification is used, technology performs the applicable identity and document checks within the route, Coddan reviews the resulting information, Coddan determines whether it is satisfied that the Companies House standard has been met, and following a successful outcome Coddan performs its applicable notification responsibility.

Registration with Companies House as an ACSP and registration with a UK anti-money-laundering supervisory body are distinct requirements. The identity checks required for Companies House are also different from customer due diligence undertaken for AML, KYC or CDD purposes.

Separate Identity Verification, the Personal Code and Director-Role Linkage

Successful identity verification establishes your verified identity. Companies House then issues a personal 11-character code. Using that code for a director role is a separate Companies House task from the identity check itself.

Already verified?

Do not assume you need to verify again. Establish whether your existing verified identity and Personal Code can be used for the Companies House step that remains.

Personal Code still required?

Companies House issues the Personal Code after successful verification. The code is personal to the verified individual, not to one company, and the same code is used when the individual confirms verification for each applicable role or appointment.

Director and PSC roles?

A person holding both roles may need to provide the Personal Code separately for each applicable role. That does not mean repeating identity verification simply because the person has two roles.

Identity verification, Personal Code issuance, director-role linkage, PSC-role linkage and a corporate filing should therefore be treated as distinct stages. A completed identity check does not itself appoint a director, resign a director, correct the register or complete a Confirmation Statement.

UK Company Directors Who Live Outside the UK

Living outside the United Kingdom does not by itself remove an applicable Companies House identity-verification requirement, and it does not create a different identity-verification standard. The relevant position depends on your role, the company involved, the available verification route and the remaining Companies House action.

Overseas-resident director of a UK company

Establish whether you still need to verify, already have a Personal Code, or have another role-related or corporate task outstanding. Residence alone does not determine the route.

Remote options

Eligible applicants may be able to use an online verification route. The available GOV.UK method is determined by the official service and the applicant's circumstances; do not assume that every case is entirely remote.

Specialist overseas guidance

Where residence, overseas identity evidence or access to an appropriate route is the remaining question, continue to the dedicated overseas director guidance.

How the Director's Present Position Affects the Remaining Task

Proposed or new director

The person will need to provide a Personal Code as part of the applicable appointment or incorporation filing. If verification has not already been completed, it must be addressed before that filing can be completed. For the appointment journey, use Becoming a Director: Director Identity Verification.

Former or resigning director

Do not treat resignation as identity verification. A person should not be told to verify merely because they formerly held office; first establish whether a live role, an applicable outstanding requirement or a record correction remains. For leaving-office questions, use the director resignation guidance.

Already verified

In most cases, identity verification is completed only once and must not be repeated unless Companies House tells the individual to verify again. The remaining task may instead be use of the Personal Code, director-role linkage or a separate company filing.

Both director and PSC

The director and PSC roles have separate applicable processes. Establish which role still needs its Companies House information before taking further action.

A company appointment, resignation, correction, Confirmation Statement or other corporate event remains a separate task from identity verification. If the identity, Personal Code and applicable role-related work are already complete, the correct outcome may simply be to proceed with the remaining corporate event.

Directors of Overseas Companies Registered in the UK

A director of an overseas company registered in the UK is a distinct Companies House category from an overseas-resident director of an ordinary UK company. Do not merge the two situations merely because the individual lives outside the UK.

Different company category

An overseas company with a UK establishment has its own Companies House filing context. Current official guidance requires the overseas company to confirm that all directors have verified their identity by the anniversary of the UK establishment's registration.

Do not use residence as the shortcut

An overseas-resident director of a UK company and a director of an overseas company registered in the UK are not interchangeable categories. Establish the company status before selecting the next guidance route.

Use the applicable Companies House process

Where the issue concerns an overseas company and its UK establishment, follow the specific Companies House requirements for that company category rather than applying a UK private-company appointment workflow by analogy. Check the current official timing guidance for the applicable position.

One Companies House Framework Across the Four UK Nations

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all within the Companies House identity-verification framework. A director's personal residence and the company's registered location should not be treated as creating four different identity-verification standards.

England

The relevant Companies House identity-verification framework applies according to the individual's role and circumstances.

Scotland

A Scottish registered office does not by itself create a separate Companies House identity-verification standard.

Wales

A Welsh registered office does not by itself create a different identity-verification route.

Northern Ireland

A Northern Ireland registered office remains within the same overarching Companies House identity-verification framework.

The useful distinction is therefore not a regional verification standard, but the individual's role, company category, residence, existing verification status and the particular Companies House action that remains.

When the Entity or Role Requires Another Specialist Destination

Once your present position is established, use the specialist destination that performs the remaining professional task. Similar terminology does not mean that appointment, resignation, role linkage, a record correction and a corporate filing are the same process.

Different entity or equivalent role

If the remaining question concerns an LLP member, general partner, managing officer or another entity-specific position, use the entity-type identity-verification guide. Later implementation phases must not be described as already commenced unless current official guidance confirms this.

Confirmation Statement remains

An existing director provides the Personal Code through the company's applicable Confirmation Statement process. Use the director Confirmation Statement guidance when that filing is the remaining job.

Identity-verification problem

If an attempted verification has not completed successfully, identify the failed or unresolved stage through the dedicated identity-verification issues guidance before deciding whether to retry, change route or provide different evidence.

Personal Code or role linkage

Use the dedicated Personal Code guidance where the identity check is complete but the code or its use remains the professional question.

Other specialist destinations may be appropriate for director-detail corrections, Confirmation Statements, particular company structures or other corporate events. Do not assume that identity verification itself completes any of those separate processes.

Resolve a Route Problem or Proceed to the Appropriate Next Task

Once your present position is established, the remaining task should be identifiable. The correct outcome is not always another identity check.

Identity verification remains incomplete

Use the applicable Companies House route: the free GOV.UK One Login service where available, or a suitable optional ACSP route.

Identity verified; Personal Code remains

Move to the Personal Code stage rather than repeating identity verification without a Companies House reason to do so.

Verification complete; corporate event remains

Proceed to the applicable appointment, resignation, correction, Confirmation Statement or other corporate process.

Nothing Further Required

If your applicable identity verification, Personal Code and role-related work are complete and no separate Companies House or corporate event remains, no further identity-verification action is indicated by this page.

The Practical Next Question

Ask: What is my present role, which company or UK establishment is involved, have I already verified, do I have my Personal Code, and which Companies House step remains?

The applicable timing depends on the role and circumstances. Existing directors, proposed or new directors, PSCs and directors of overseas companies registered in the UK do not all complete the same follow-on process. Check current Companies House guidance for the date and action that apply to the particular role.