Don't Leave It Until the Last Minute
You must verify your identity before your company files its next Confirmation Statement. If you're not verified, the filing will be rejected.
Deadlines & Penalties
Key Dates
Your Deadline
Your deadline is linked to your company's Confirmation Statement due date. All directors must be verified before this date.
Transition Period
Identity verification became mandatory on 18 November 2025, with a 12-month transition running to around mid-November 2026. Directors of new companies verify at incorporation; directors of existing companies must verify by their company's next Confirmation Statement due date during the transition.
What's a Confirmation Statement?
Every UK company must file a Confirmation Statement with Companies House at least once a year. It confirms that the company's details on the public register are correct.
The key point: Companies House won't accept your Confirmation Statement unless all directors and PSCs have verified their identity.
Learn about Confirmation StatementsLate Filing: Confirmation Statement vs Annual Accounts
These are two different Companies House filings with very different consequences — they're often confused, so here's the distinction.
Confirmation Statement (CS01)
A late Confirmation Statement does not carry an automatic financial penalty. But persistent non-filing is serious:
- Companies House can begin strike-off proceedings (typically after 6+ months), dissolving the company.
- Directors can face criminal prosecution for failure to file — a court fine of up to £5,000.
- The company shows as overdue publicly, and can't file its next statement until the overdue one is resolved.
Annual Accounts (a separate filing)
Annual accounts are a different filing from the Confirmation Statement. Unlike the CS01, late accounts do carry automatic financial penalties:
| How Late | Penalty (Private Company) |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 month late | £150 |
| 1 to 3 months late | £375 |
| 3 to 6 months late | £750 |
| More than 6 months late | £1,500 |
The penalty doubles if accounts are filed late two financial years running. (TaxStats ID covers Confirmation Statements, not accounts filing.)
How to Check Your Deadline
Check "Filing history"
Look at when your last Confirmation Statement was filed. Your next one is due within 14 days of that anniversary.
Verify before that date
Make sure all directors are verified with enough time to spare.