Identify who may be registrable through a trust or indirect ownership and control structure before choosing the appropriate identity-verification or Companies House route.

Determine the Appropriate PSC Trust and Indirect Control Route.

Whether control passes through a company, LLP, relevant legal entity, trust, firm, nominee arrangement or another structure, our professional team helps you map the supplied ownership and control chain, distinguish the relevant people and entities and identify the apparent registrable subject before separating PSC identification from the individual's identity-verification process.

Identify the relevant company or LLP and every entity or arrangement within the ownership and control chain before assuming that the person at the top of a structure is the registrable PSC.

Map direct and indirect ownership, voting, appointment, removal and management rights across the relevant corporate, partnership or other legal arrangements.

Examine trust and firm arrangements without assuming that every trustee, partner, settlor, beneficiary, protector or nominee is automatically a PSC.

Review Articles, LLP agreements, trust deeds, shareholder or voting agreements and other governing documents that may establish how ownership, voting or control operates in practice.

Distinguish an individual PSC from a registrable legal entity or an unresolved position before an individual identity-verification route is selected.

Separate PSC identification from identity verification, recognising that verifying an individual's identity does not itself establish ownership, control or PSC status.

Consider indirect ownership, voting arrangements, majority-stake routes and significant influence or control where the statutory conditions require the structure to be examined beyond the immediate registered holder.

Distinguish current individual PSC verification from separate entity notification, formation, filing or governance work so that one completed stage is not incorrectly treated as completing another.

Identify when an unclear ownership chain, disputed control position, unusual trust or firm arrangement or legally uncertain question requires separate professional or legal analysis rather than an automatic verification purchase.

Reduce avoidable administrative errors and back-and-forth by establishing the entity, control chain, relevant rights, apparent registrable subject and appropriate next route before verification or PSC notification is progressed.

Determine the Appropriate PSC Route

Coddan CPM is a UK-based legal and corporate services firm and ACSP providing professional support to map trust, corporate and indirect-control structures and identify the apparent PSC or appropriate next route before individual identity verification is selected.
Call us on: 033 0808 0089 to discuss the appropriate PSC trust, ownership and control route for your circumstances.

Managing Personal Codes & Separate Role Verification Deadlines for Directors & PSCs

PSC identity verification and role connection

Companies House Personal Codes, PSC Timing and Separate Role Connection

After an individual PSC completes identity verification, the next question is when and how their Personal Code must be provided for the PSC role — and what separate action is required if the same person is also a company director or LLP member.

Coddan can help identify the person, each affected entity and role, the applicable PSC period and any separate role connection. Verification, code issue, code use, PSC status and the entity’s notification remain different steps.

See what happens after verification

Eight separate steps and decisions

The steps are connected, but none should be treated as a substitute for another.

1. PSC status

Ownership or control conditions determine whether the individual is a PSC. Identity verification does not make that decision.

2. Identity verification

The individual proves their identity through the suitable free Companies House route or an ACSP route.

3. Code issue

Companies House provides the Personal Code after successful identity verification. Coddan and its provider do not issue it.

4. Access and storage

The individual receives or accesses the code through the route applying to their verification and should keep it securely.

5. PSC submission

The code and the required identity-verification statement are supplied through the applicable PSC process.

6. PSC connection

Companies House uses the details to associate the verified individual with the relevant PSC record.

7. Other roles

Director and LLP-member connections are completed separately, even when the same code is used.

8. Entity notification

The company or LLP separately identifies, confirms and reports its PSC information and maintains supporting records.

What is a Companies House Personal Code?

It is an 11-character code given to an individual after successful Companies House identity verification. It is personal to that individual, not to a company, LLP, agent or adviser.

The same individual normally uses the same code for relevant PSC, director and LLP-member roles and across relevant companies and LLPs. The code may still have to be supplied several times because each affected entity and role has its own process.

How the code is received or accessed

The route used for identity verification affects where the individual first finds the code.

Free Companies House route

An individual who verified using GOV.UK One Login can sign in to Companies House using the same email address and view the code under account management. Companies House states that people verified after 8 July 2026 were also sent the code by email.

The free official route remains available where the person and evidence meet its current requirements. Professional ACSP support is not compulsory.

Verification through an ACSP

Companies House sends the code to the email address supplied for the individual by the ACSP. If it does not arrive, the individual should first ask the ACSP to check that address and correct submitted information where necessary.

The individual may save the code to a Companies House account created with the email address to which the code was sent, following the current official process.

Do not place your Personal Code in a general website enquiry.

When does the PSC’s 14-day period apply?

There is no single group deadline. The correct period depends on when the person became registered as a PSC and whether they hold another affected role in the same entity. The live Companies House record or service should be checked for the individual dates.

New PSC after 18 November 2025

The code may be provided when the person is first added to the Companies House register or within 14 days after being added. The entity’s PSC notification and the individual’s verification-details step are separate.

Existing PSC and director

The director code is provided through the applicable confirmation-statement process. The PSC code is provided through the PSC verification-details service during the 14-day period beginning the day after the company’s confirmation-statement date. Filing early does not move that PSC period.

Existing PSC and LLP member

LLP-member and PSC code uses remain separate. The current equivalent-role process links timing to the LLP’s applicable confirmation-statement cycle, but the individual’s live Companies House period should be checked before action because published guidance is less explicit than for a company director.

Existing PSC with no director or LLP-member role

The applicable period is the first 14 days of the person’s birth month. Another PSC role or entity may produce a different period for the same individual.

PSC of several entities

Each role must be completed separately. The same code is normally reused, but the periods may differ and completion for one company or LLP does not complete another.

No universal deadline

18 November 2026 must not be treated as a universal deadline for every PSC. Registration dates, confirmation-statement dates, roles and birth months can produce different periods.

Extensions

The current PSC verification-details service allows a request for a further 14 days. The request must be made before the existing deadline has passed.

An extension does not remove the requirement, change PSC status, complete another role or provide an indefinite postponement. Availability and the live deadline should be checked in the official service.

Protected PSCs

The ordinary online PSC verification-details service cannot be used where the PSC has protected personal information or is awaiting the outcome of a protection application. Protection applies from the application date.

The individual should use the applicable protected-information or Companies House route. Coddan will not invent or assume an alternative online procedure.

Who may provide the code?

The PSC may provide the verification details, or another person may do so on the PSC’s behalf through the current official process. An authorised agent should use the code only for the specific authorised Companies House purpose.

Sharing the code does not transfer identity, PSC status, filing authority or general control over the individual’s Companies House account.

What if the code does not connect?

A failed connection is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Repeating identity verification is not automatically the correct solution.

Code or person

The code may be mistyped or belong to another individual.

Personal details

The registered date of birth, name or other information may differ from the verified details.

Entity or role

The code may be used for the wrong entity or role, or the PSC-specific submission may remain incomplete.

Underlying record

The PSC entry may be missing or inaccurate, or an ACSP may have supplied incorrect verification information.

Locating a code, replacing a compromised code, correcting ACSP-supplied information, correcting registered details and resolving disputed PSC status are different routes. A Personal Code does not correct or validate the register.

One person, one code, separate roles

The individual normally retains one code, but every applicable role connection must be completed through its own process.

Capacity	What the code step does	What remains separate
Director and PSC	The same code is provided separately for both roles.	Director appointment, PSC status, role timings and entity filings.
LLP member and PSC	The same code is used through the member and PSC processes.	Admission, membership, control and their applicable filings.
Designated member and PSC	Designation alone does not create another Personal Code.	Designation responsibilities and PSC status.
Several entities	The code is reused for every applicable connection.	Each role, period, notification and underlying event.

Ending one role does not automatically end another. A director’s resignation or an LLP member’s cessation does not by itself end PSC status, and ceasing to be a PSC does not by itself end a directorship or LLP membership.

Where the PSC is identified during company formation

The proposed ownership and control position must first be established. The individual’s identity-verification and Personal Code position can then be coordinated, and the PSC particulars supplied through the applicable formation process.

This supports accurate formation work, but incorporation is a separate company event controlled by the registrar. The full incorporation application, company structure, subscribers, articles, capital or guarantee arrangements, registered office and director appointments remain within the formation service.

Current, transitional and future position

Current-position wording checked on 20 September 2026.

Current

Living individual PSC verification, Personal Code issue, PSC-specific use, separate director and LLP-member use, current 14-day periods, extension requests, the protected-PSC boundary, free Companies House verification and ACSP verification are operational.

Transitional

Mandatory identity verification began on 18 November 2025. Existing PSC timing depends on the individual, role, registration date, confirmation-statement date and birth month. There is no universal deadline for everyone.

Future or uncommenced

Later requirements announced for officers of corporate PSCs, people filing for entities, corporate directors and corporate LLP members must not be presented or sold as current operational procedures.

Where Coddan’s ACSP route is selected

Coddan CPM Limited is registered with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider and is supervised by HMRC for anti-money-laundering purposes. Client onboarding and anti-money-laundering checks remain separate from Companies House identity verification.

Coddan identifies the individual, entity and PSC role.
Coddan records the required name, date of birth, residential address, email address and telephone number.
The individual receives a secure link by email or text message from Coddan’s secure identity-verification provider.
The individual supplies supported identity and address evidence and completes the required selfie or liveness check.
Coddan reviews the result and exceptional evidence.
Where satisfactory and authorised, Coddan manually submits the verification information through its Companies House ACSP account.
Companies House sends the Personal Code to the individual at the supplied email address.
The code is then supplied through every applicable PSC or other role process.

What Coddan may coordinate

Identify the individual, entities and affected PSC, director and LLP-member roles.
Establish the verification route and whether the code was received or can be accessed.
Identify the applicable PSC period and prepare a person-and-role schedule.
Review an apparent code, name, date-of-birth, email or record mismatch.
Coordinate supported identity verification.
Use or coordinate code submission where authorised and operationally confirmed.
Coordinate separately agreed formation, PSC notification, confirmation-statement or entity work.
Direct protected, disputed or corrective matters to the appropriate route.

What information should you provide?

“Not known” is an acceptable answer. This section does not transmit an enquiry. Use Coddan’s normal website contact details and do not send the actual Personal Code or unredacted identity evidence in a general enquiry.

The individual

Full name, date of birth, residential country and address, verification email, route used and whether an ACSP was involved.

Code access

Whether the code was received or can be viewed in a Companies House account. Do not provide the code itself.

Entities and roles

Every relevant company or LLP name and number, each PSC role and any director, member or designated-member capacity.

Dates and periods

When the person became or was registered as a PSC, relevant confirmation-statement dates, birth month and the displayed or expected PSC period.

Work completed

Role connections already completed, any extension request, authorised agent and related formation, PSC or confirmation-statement work.

Special circumstances

Any protection application or status, mismatch, Companies House message, corrective work or disagreement already under way.

What affects the work, cost and timing?

The scope may depend on whether verification is complete, whether the code is available, the number of entities and roles, applicable periods, extension availability, protected information, record differences and whether another verification attempt is genuinely required.

Coddan’s professional charge, VAT, applicable official charges and separately agreed formation, filing, confirmation-statement, PSC-analysis, governance, corrective or legal work may also be relevant. The free Companies House route remains available where suitable. Code reuse is not automatically another verification charge, and related entity work is included only where expressly agreed.

What the Personal Code does not do

It does not create or end PSC status.

It does not determine ownership, control or a nature of control.

It does not create or end a directorship or LLP membership.

It does not create or remove designated-member status.

It does not complete incorporation or the entity’s PSC notification automatically.

It does not correct information or validate an earlier filing.

It does not authorise every filing or replace supporting records.

It does not complete tax, charity or other regulator requirements or guarantee acceptance.

Identity Verification for People with Significant Control Who Must Verify as a PSC? Ownership, Voting Rights and Significant Influence or Control When an Individual Becomes, Changes or Ceases to Be a PSC PSC Identity Verification for Several Companies, LLPs and Overseas Individuals Identifying the Individual PSC Through Corporate, Trust and Indirect-Control Arrangements PSC Identity Problems, Incorrect Control Information and Corrective Routes Identity Verification Solutions Centre CLG identity-verification hub LLP identity-verification hub Company Limited by Guarantee Formation Company Formation

Frequently asked questions

What is a Companies House Personal Code?

It is an 11-character code supplied to an individual after successful Companies House identity verification. It links the verified identity to applicable Companies House roles when used through the correct process.

Is it the company authentication code?

No. The Personal Code belongs to the verified individual. A company authentication code is a different credential used for company filing access.

Do I receive a new code for every company or LLP?

Normally no. The same individual reuses the same Personal Code, but must supply it separately for each applicable entity and role.

Must I provide it for every PSC role?

Yes. One PSC connection does not connect the person to every other company or LLP.

What is my PSC 14-day period?

It depends on when you were registered and whether you hold another affected role in the same entity. Check the dates shown by Companies House rather than assuming a group or universal deadline.

What if I am both a director and PSC?

Use the same code separately: through the applicable confirmation-statement process for the director role and through the PSC verification-details process for the PSC role.

What if I am both an LLP member and PSC?

The same code is normally used, but the member and PSC connections remain separate. Check the individual live period and applicable LLP process.

Does filing a confirmation statement early change my PSC period?

For an existing PSC who is also a director of the same company, Companies House states that early filing does not move the PSC’s 14-day period.

What if I became a PSC after 18 November 2025?

The code may be provided when you are first added to the register or within 14 days after being added.

Can I request an extension?

The current official PSC service allows a request for a further 14 days, but it must be made before the existing deadline expires.

Can another person provide the code for me?

The official service allows another person to provide verification details on a PSC’s behalf. They should be properly authorised and use the code only for that purpose.

What if my PSC information is protected?

The ordinary online service cannot be used if personal information is protected or a protection application is pending. Use the applicable protected-information or Companies House route.

Where can I find my code?

If you used GOV.UK One Login, sign in to Companies House with the same email and check account management. If an ACSP verified you, Companies House sends the code to the email the ACSP supplied.

What if the code was sent to the wrong email?

Ask the ACSP that verified you to check the email submitted and contact Companies House where correction is required. Coddan cannot independently alter a code or Companies House record.

What if the code does not connect?

Check the code, person, date of birth, entity, role and underlying PSC entry. The correct route may be a code correction, ACSP update, record correction or specialist review — not repeated verification.

What if the code may be compromised?

Contact Companies House using its current procedure. Companies House can replace the code by email and cancel the previous code.

Does the code prove that I am a PSC?

No. PSC status comes from the applicable ownership or control conditions. Code use connects a verified identity with a record; it does not determine control.

Can Coddan retrieve or replace my code?

Coddan may help identify the correct official route, but it cannot independently retrieve, replace, cancel or regenerate a Companies House Personal Code.

Can Coddan coordinate several PSC roles?

Yes, where agreed. Coddan may prepare a person-and-role schedule, identify separate periods and coordinate supported steps without treating one completion as satisfying every role.

What information should I provide?

Provide the person, entities, roles, dates, verification route, code-access position and any Companies House message. “Not known” is acceptable. Do not place the code in a general enquiry.

Connect the right person, entity and role

Coddan can review the verification route, code-access position, PSC period and separate director or LLP-member connections, then identify the work that can safely be coordinated within the agreed scope.

Contact Coddan

PSC Trust, Indirect Ownership and Control Identification.

Identify who may be registrable through a trust or indirect ownership and control structure before choosing the appropriate identity-verification or Companies House route.

Follow the Companies House Personal Code journey from confirming the relevant PSC timing through obtaining the code, matching it to each role and completing the required Companies House step.

Managing Personal Codes & Separate Role Verification Deadlines for Directors & PSCs

Streamline your Companies House compliance with fast, secure ID verification for PSCs. Complete the process online with an authorized ACSP today!

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Companies House Personal Codes, PSC Timing and Separate Role Connection

Eight separate steps and decisions

1. PSC status

2. Identity verification

3. Code issue

4. Access and storage

5. PSC submission

6. PSC connection

7. Other roles

8. Entity notification

What is a Companies House Personal Code?

How the code is received or accessed

Free Companies House route

Verification through an ACSP

When does the PSC’s 14-day period apply?

New PSC after 18 November 2025

Existing PSC and director

Existing PSC and LLP member

Existing PSC with no director or LLP-member role

PSC of several entities

No universal deadline

Extensions

Protected PSCs

Who may provide the code?

What if the code does not connect?

Code or person

Personal details

Entity or role

Underlying record

One person, one code, separate roles

Where the PSC is identified during company formation

Current, transitional and future position

Current

Transitional

Future or uncommenced

Where Coddan’s ACSP route is selected

What Coddan may coordinate

What information should you provide?

The individual

Code access

Entities and roles

Dates and periods

Work completed

Special circumstances

What affects the work, cost and timing?

What the Personal Code does not do

Related identity-verification and entity services

Frequently asked questions

Connect the right person, entity and role