If you're a person with significant control (PSC) — typically someone holding more than 25% of a company's shares or voting rights, or who otherwise controls it — your identity verification deadline works differently to a director's. It isn't tied to a fixed calendar date for everyone; it's tied to your specific circumstances, and it comes with a strict 14-day window. Get the window wrong and you risk an offence and a financial penalty, so it's worth understanding exactly how Companies House calculates it.
The core rule: a 14-day period, not a single deadline
Companies House confirms that "every PSC has a 14-day period during which they must provide their Companies House personal code and a verification statement" (Companies House, January 2026). When that 14-day window starts depends on whether you're also a director of the same company.
If you're a PSC and a director of the same company
Your 14-day period starts the day after your company's confirmation statement date. Companies House gives a worked example: for a confirmation statement date of 31 March 2026, your 14-day verification period as a PSC runs from 1 to 14 April 2026.
If you're a PSC but not a director
Your window is tied to your birth month, not the company's filing date: "you must complete identity verification within the first 14 days of your birth month." Companies House's example: someone with a birthday on 24 February has a verification period running from 1 to 14 February 2026 — note this starts before the birthday itself, so don't wait for the date to actually pass.
If you became a PSC after 18 November 2025
You can provide your personal code when first added to the register, or within 14 days of the direction letter Companies House sends you shortly afterwards.
| Your situation | When your 14-day window starts |
|---|---|
| PSC and director of the same company | The day after the company's confirmation statement date |
| PSC only (not a director) | The first day of your birth month |
| Newly registered PSC (after 18 Nov 2025) | Registration date, or the date of your direction letter |
One verification — but the code has to be submitted for every role
This is the point that trips up the most PSCs. Companies House states you only need to verify your identity once, and the resulting personal code "can then be used to link your verified identity to each role you hold." But a Companies House representative clarified in the same discussion that the code still has to be actively provided separately for each role: "your personal code links your verified identity to each role you hold and you must provide it separately for each one — it does not link your roles together" (Companies House). If you are both a director and a PSC of the same company, that means one verification, but two separate submissions — the code goes into the company's confirmation statement for your director role, and separately into the "Provide identity verification details for a person with significant control" service for your PSC role.
Requesting an extension
If you can't meet your 14-day deadline, you can request a 14-day extension through the online service before your deadline passes — not before the window has started, and not after it has ended (GOV.UK). Companies House allows this to be requested digitally up to two times; further requests beyond that are referred to an examiner for individual review.
What happens if you miss it
Companies House is direct about the consequence: "If you do not comply with identity verification requirements as a PSC, you may be committing an offence and have to pay a financial penalty or fine." It also notes that, in future, it may display a note against your name on the public register to flag non-compliance (Companies House).
A common snag: your details don't match
The PSC verification service cross-checks the details from your identity check against what Companies House already holds on file — most commonly your date of birth. If they don't match, "you will not be able to connect your verified identity to our records," and you'll need to correct your details with Companies House before you can link your code (Companies House). It's worth checking your PSC record on the register before your window opens, rather than discovering a mismatch with days left to act.
Multiple PSC roles, different companies, different deadlines — we can help you track and complete them all.
Start your applicationKey takeaways
- Your 14-day window depends on whether you're also a director: confirmation statement date + 1 day, or the start of your birth month.
- You verify once, but must submit your personal code separately for every role and every company.
- A 14-day extension can be requested (up to twice digitally) before your deadline passes — never after.
- Missing the deadline risks an offence, a financial penalty, and a future note on the public register.
- Check your date of birth matches Companies House's records before you try to link your code.