Companies House verification not working?
If GOV.UK One Login cannot verify you, you do not have to fix it first. Verifying through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider is the other official route, and it produces exactly the same Companies House personal code.
What this means
- There are two official routes to verification: GOV.UK One Login, or an Authorised Corporate Service Provider. Both end with Companies House issuing your personal code, and you do not need a One Login account to use ours.
- Why One Login failed usually decides which of our routes is quickest. If it could not match your address, that does not carry over to us at all — our £39 digital check asks for no address document and no address match.
- If your document would not read, that is often a photo problem rather than the document being unacceptable — glare on the laminate, a cropped corner, or a photo taken of a screen.
- If you do not hold a biometric passport, our accepted list is wider than the One Login digital route. A UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or EU photocard driving licence works, as do a UK BRP or BRC and an eVisa.
- Every document we accept must be in date. Companies House allows a short grace period on a recently expired passport; we do not use it, because our own standard is stricter than the minimum.
How to put it right
- 1
Check what you hold
Tell our free checker what documents you have and it will tell you which route you can use, and why, before you pay anything.
- 2
Verify
The digital check takes about five minutes on your phone — one photographic document and a short live photo. No proof of address.
- 3
Get your code
We confirm your identity to Companies House, who issue your personal code — usually within minutes, occasionally up to two working days.
Regulated Companies House agent (ACSP AP006589)
We deal with strike-offs, overdue filings and identity verification every day. If we can’t help, we’ll tell you who can.
Check your documents free →Frequently asked questions
One Login says it cannot verify me. Do I have to sort that out first?
No. Our verification is entirely independent of GOV.UK One Login. You do not need an account, and you do not need to resolve the error. Companies House treats both routes identically and issues the same personal code.
It failed because of an address mismatch. Will that happen again?
Very unlikely. Our £39 digital check requires one photographic document and nothing else — no utility bill, no bank statement, and no check against your address. There is nothing for an address mismatch to clash with. What does matter is that the name on your document matches the name on the Companies House register.
My document would not scan. What now?
Usually it is the photograph rather than the document. Lay it flat, avoid direct light or a flash bouncing off the laminate, and get all four corners in frame. If it still will not read, our video call route is examined by a qualified accountant rather than automatically, and it accepts a wider range of documents.
Can I verify without a selfie or facial recognition?
No, and we would rather be straight about it. Every route — including the video call — checks that your document is genuine and matches your face to the photograph on it. What using an ACSP changes is who is in charge of the decision: a qualified accountant reviews your case and can override an automated result where there is clear justification.
My passport has expired. Can I still use it?
Not with us. Every document we accept must be in date. Companies House does allow a short grace period on a recently expired passport, but we have taken a deliberately stricter line on documentary standards, so we do not use it. If your only photo ID has expired, renew it before booking — and call us first if your deadline is tight.
How much does it cost?
The digital check is £39 and the video call is £49. We do not add VAT to any of our fees, so the figure quoted is the total you pay.
We’re TaxStats ID, an authorised Companies House agent (ACSP AP006589) from TaxStats Ltd — independent, and not Companies House or GOV.UK. We’ll do what we can and, for anything outside what we handle, we’ll tell you honestly and point you to the right person. Prefer to talk? Call 0161 317 8556.