Identity verification and Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs): what you need to know

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An essential update on UK company law from the Professional Standards team.

As part of changes to UK company law under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, Companies House will be required to verify the identity of anyone submitting information to the public register, including those acting on behalf of a company, from Autumn 2025.

Who needs to verify their identity?

As detailed on the gov.uk website, all new directors and people with significant control (PSCs) will need to complete identity verification. 

Identity verification will also apply to other registration types. For example, any members of a limited liability partnership (LLP) will also need to verify their identity.

For existing companies, all directors (or equivalent) and PSCs will have a 12-month transition period to verify their identity with Companies House.  The transition period will start from Autumn 2025.

From Spring 2026, anyone acting on behalf of a company will also need to verify their identity before they can file information with Companies House.

How will identity verification be carried out?

  • Directly with Companies House online,
  • or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).

What is an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP)?

Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs) are individuals or organisations that undertake anti-money laundering (AML) supervised activity, such as:  

  • accountants 
  • company formation agents  
  • solicitors  
  • chartered secretaries and governance professionals.

From Spring 2025, anti-money laundering supervised firms and sole traders will be able to apply to become ACSPs. More information about the standards to become an ACSP can be found on this Companies House blog and further information about the registration process will be published, once available.

How will this affect AAT licensed members?

If you’re an individual that is subject to identity verification, you will need to have your identity verified from Autumn 2025.

If you wish to carry out identity verification checks on behalf of a company client, you will need to register with Companies House as an ACSP once the registration service becomes available in Spring 2025.

If you wish to act on behalf of a company client, you will also need to have your identity verified from Spring 2026 in order to file information with Companies House.

Information for AAT licensed members wishing to act as an ACSP

If you do register as an ACSP, the following information will be important to you.

  • When registering to become an ACSP, you will be asked for an AML number. This will be your AAT membership number.
  • Your firm information held on AAT’s records, such as your business name and address, must match the information you’re providing to Companies House, otherwise your ACSP application will be rejected. It’s therefore important that you ensure your business details held by AAT are always up-to-date, particularly if you are changing entities and require AML supervision for the new entity. For example, changing from a sole practitioner to a limited company.
  • Identity verification checks by ACSPs must meet the same level of assurance as those who verify directly with Companies House, and firms will need to allow additional time for these checks when providing services to company clients, such as company formation. Guidance for ACSPs around identity verification requirements will be published by Companies House in due course.
  • Draft legislation suggests there will be a requirement for ACSPs to keep records for a period of seven years and there will be offences in relation to record keeping. The draft legislation also sets out duties of persons to provide information to the registrar and/or ACSPs to notify the registrar of certain changes within set timescales, along with relevant offences for failing to provide such information. AAT recommends firms keep up-to-date with announcements on the changes to UK company law web page.

Changes to our Fair Processing Notice

From February 2025, if your firm (this includes sole practitioners) is supervised by AAT for AML purposes, we will share the following data with Companies House every two weeks:

  • AAT membership number
  • Registered Company Name (for limited companies and LLPs only)
  • Company Number (for limited companies and LLPs only)
  • Trading Name
  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Business address

If you wish to register as an ACSP, we recommend you do so after two weeks of your AAT licence and AML supervision being granted. This will ensure your data has been sent to Companies House and can be verified as part of your application. If Companies House are not able to verify your AML supervision, your ACSP application will be immediately rejected.

Our Fair processing notice: Licensed members will be updated on or around 04 February 2025.

AAT’s AML helpline

AAT’s AML helpline offers advice for AAT-supervised firms on all aspects of complying with the Money Laundering Regulations, such as advice on how to report suspected illegal activity. To discuss any questions you might have, call us on +44 (0)20 7367 1347 or email [email protected]

AAT Comment offers news and opinion on the world of business and finance from the Association of Accounting Technicians.

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