Companies House director ID verification, what lenders look for
ECCTA introduced mandatory director identity verification at Companies House. From 18 November 2025 all new directors must verify; existing directors verify on a rolling 2026 timeline pegged to confirmation statement filings. Lenders increasingly check the verified-status flag in routine underwriting. If your directors aren't yet verified, the time to fix it's before the next finance application, not after a decline.
What ECCTA is
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 is the most significant overhaul of Companies House in a generation. It introduces:
- Mandatory identity verification for all directors and persons with significant control.
- New powers for Companies House to query and reject filings.
- Authorised corporate service providers (ACSPs) as a verification route.
- Stricter rules on registered office addresses, email addresses and lawful purpose statements.
- Rolling commencement through 2024, 2025 and 2026, with the verification regime becoming fully mandatory through 2026.
The headline date for finance underwriting is 18 November 2025, when verification became mandatory for newly-appointed directors. Existing directors verify by their next confirmation statement, which means a rolling cohort of UK companies hits the verification deadline through 2026.
What lenders ask
Lenders already pull Companies House data when they assess an application, so expect them to see whether each director and PSC has verified their identity and to ask about any gaps.
The specific lender questions:
- Are all current directors verified at Companies House?
- If not, when is the next confirmation statement due, and what is the verification plan?
- Are all PSCs (persons with significant control) verified?
- For LLPs, are the designated members verified?
- Has Companies House issued any rejection or correction notice in the last 12 months?
An unverified director within 90 days of the confirmation statement filing deadline is the most common friction point.
How to prepare
Before any finance application:
- Check the Companies House public record. The verified-status flag appears on the director listing.
- If not verified, pick the route. Direct via GOV.UK: free, around 10 minutes. Via a corporate service provider: 1 to 5 working days, fee around £20 to £75 per director.
- Verify all directors and PSCs. Lenders sometimes flag a partial verification more harshly than zero verification.
- Allow 24 to 48 hours for the public record to update. Submit application after the verified flag is live.
- Keep a record of the verification reference.
If you haven't verified yet
As of mid-2026, an unverified director is a soft flag at most UK SMB lenders rather than a hard decline. The risk hardens in three situations:
- The company is within 60 days of its confirmation statement filing deadline.
- There are multiple unverified directors or PSCs.
- The unverified flag pairs with another underwriting concern (recent CCJ, sub-2-year trading, sector exclusion).
FAQs
What is ECCTA director identity verification?
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduced mandatory identity verification for UK company directors and persons with significant control. From 18 November 2025 it's required for all newly-appointed directors. Existing directors must verify by their next confirmation statement, with rolling deadlines through 2026 and a backstop of approximately November 2026.
How do directors verify?
Two routes: directly with Companies House via GOV.UK identity verification (free, takes around 10 minutes online with a photo ID and a selfie match), or via an authorised corporate service provider such as a regulated accountant or law firm.
How long does verification take to show?
Direct route: usually visible on the Companies House record within 24 hours. Via a corporate service provider: 1 to 5 working days depending on the provider. The verified status is queryable via the Companies House public API.
Why do lenders care about ECCTA verification?
Three reasons. First, AML and KYC compliance: a verified director is a stronger KYC baseline. Second, signal: an unverified director past the deadline is a procedural red flag. Third, automated underwriting: many lender systems now query the Companies House verified-status field as a routine application data point.
Will an unverified director cause an automatic decline?
Not at most lenders, not yet. As of mid-2026, an unverified director is usually a soft flag (manual review) rather than a hard decline. Two factors push it toward decline: getting close to the company's confirmation statement filing deadline, and pairing the unverified flag with any other underwriting concern.
Does this apply to LLP designated members?
Yes. ECCTA verification applies to LLP designated members on the same rolling timeline as company directors. PSCs (persons with significant control) are also caught.
What happens if a director misses their verification deadline?
The director can't lawfully act in the role from the deadline. Companies House will flag the company on the public register. Filing the confirmation statement late or with unverified directors is a breach. Lenders treat the flag as material; some treat it as a hard decline pending remediation.
Can a corporate service provider verify in one transaction?
Most accountants and law firms offering ECCTA verification can complete in a single appointment with the right ID. The bottleneck is usually not the verification itself; it's collating the IDs and getting the directors in the same room with the provider.
Send an enquiry
Check your directors are verified before you apply anywhere, to avoid an avoidable decline. If you send an enquiry, we pass your details to a business finance broker, who will contact you about your options. FundBiz does not run a credit check.
Send an enquiry →By Adam Parker. FundBiz is owned and operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, directed by Oliver Mackman. Last updated: .