The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) 2023 introduces major reforms to identity verification for individuals making filings at Companies House, coming into effect in Spring 2026. These changes aim to strengthen corporate transparency and combat economic crime by ensuring only verified individuals or authorised agents can submit company information.

This article explains the new Authorised Corporate Service Provider (‘ACSP’) regime and presenter identification requirements, helping companies and professionals prepare for compliance — and how technology like Diligent Entities can make this process seamless and secure.

What are the ACSP and Presenter Identification requirements?

, anyone filing documents on behalf of a company at Companies House must have their identity verified. This includes company directors, persons with significant control (PSCs), and importantly, the individuals, employees or third-partyorganisationssubmitting filings on behalf of a company.

To manage this, ECCTA introduces the concept of Authorised Corporate Service Providers (‘ACSPs’) — regulated entities authorised and registered with Companies House to verify identities and file on behalf of clients.

Only ACSPs or verified company officers/employees will be permitted to submit filings from Spring/Summer2026.

ACSPs must be regulated under UK anti-money laundering (AML) laws and registered with Companies House. Typical ACSPs include:

They must be supervised by a recognised AML supervisory body (e.g., HMRC or a professional body) and undertake specific training in order to verify identities in line with the required Companies House standards.

From Spring 2026, Companies House will only accept filings from:

Identity verified company officers or employees

Registered ACSPs and their authorised personnel

This means third-party agents without ACSP status will no longer be able to file on behalf of companies, significantly reducing risks of fraudulent submissions. Furthermore, the ability to trace individual filings back to a specific, verified individual will increase enforcement capabilities of Companies House.

From Autumn/Winter 2025, all companies must have verified the identities of all directors, officers and PSCs, and notified Companies House of that verification through their confirmation statements, at company incorporation and when new directors or PSCs are appointed.

Read our step-by-step guide to Identity Verification (IDV) compliance under ECCTA and find out how governance technology can reduce risk and ease the administrative load.


IDV compliance under ECCTA 

How Diligent Entities supports your ECCTA compliance

Navigating these new identity verification and presenter identification rules can be complex, but 

 offers practical, secure technology to simplify compliance:

 Diligent Entities enables users to record their personal identity verification codes and ACSP registration codes directly against their user profiles. This centralised approach ensures codes are stored securely and confidentially.

 These codes are treated with the same level of security as passwords — recognising that an individual’s identity verification code is essentially their “password to Companies House”. Diligent Entities uses robust encryption and access controls to prevent unauthorised access.

This technology-driven approach not only helps companies and ACSPs meet ECCTA requirements efficiently but also safeguards sensitive data, reducing the risk of identity fraud and regulatory penalties.

Preparing for compliance – A quick checklist

For companies’ directors, officers and employees making filings

Verify identities promptly to avoid filing delays or penalties.

Use tools like Diligent Entities to securely manage identity codes and track verification status.

Ensure all identity verified individuals securely manage their personal ID verification codes.

Register with Companies House and maintain AML supervision.

Implement robust identity verification processes meeting Companies House standards.

Use Diligent Entities to securely record and manage ACSP codes and client identity verifications.

Educate clients on the verification process and assist them with technology-enabled compliance.

Non-compliance with ECCTA can be extremely costly. It can result in:

 Non-compliance with identity verification requirements, failure to notify changes to supervisory bodies, and other breaches of the ECCTA can result in potentially devastating criminal charges and substantial fines.

Rejection or revocation of registration: 

Companies House may reject filings or revoke an ACSP's registration if it is found to be non-compliant, especially if identity verification is not completed correctly or within the required timeframe.

Being associated with a company that is found to have engaged in fraudulent or illegal activities, even if the ACSP was not directly involved, can significantly damage the ACSP's reputation.

The ACSP and presenter identification requirements under ECCTA represent a significant shift in UK corporate transparency. From Spring 2026, only verified individuals or authorised providers will be able to submit filings to Companies House. Companies, directors, employees making filings,and service providers must act now to implement identity verification and register as ACSPs where applicable.

Leveraging technology like Diligent Entities makes compliance straightforward, secure, and auditable — helping organisations stay ahead of regulatory demands while protecting sensitive identity information.

Early preparation will ensure smooth compliance, reduce risk, and demonstrate commitment to preventing economic crime in the UK’s corporate sector.

 can help your organisation comply with ECCTA requirements. 

Preparing for ECCTA: ACSP & Presenter ID requirements explained

This article originally appeared in our June 23 edition of the Diligent Minute Newsletter. For more insights like these, delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe 

 conducted in partnership with Corporate Board Member, we ask directors of U.S. public companies to rate the current business environment on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 representing the sunniest outlook possible.

How did directors rate business conditions this month? Only 4.4 out of 10. This tepid response raised no eyebrows on our end, especially given that the top three issues on directors’ minds — tariffs, inflation and supply chain disruptions — have been defined by seemingly constant volatility. Meanwhile, 57% of directors still predict a recession in the next six months.

As Joseph R. Bronson, a director on the board of PDF Solutions put it, “You can't forecast anything in this uncertain environment.”

Confidence in the U.S. business environment has been falling throughout 2025. May’s 4.4 rating by U.S. public board members was a drop from 4.7 in March and 6.7 at the beginning of the year.

But here’s the good news: Expectations for the future may be looking up. In our May survey, 40% of directors foresee improved business conditions in the months ahead, up from 36% percent in March. It’s only 4 percentage points, but it’s progress.

Also encouraging: Only 2 out of 10 (21%) of directors surveyed in May believe that conditions will deteriorate further. This is a dramatic change from 4 out of 10 (41%) in March.

“The policy transitions underway will be clearer [by this time next year] — and many will contribute to stronger forecast,” one director explained.

“We need to get through the short-term tariff overhang,” another remarked. “Underlying business activity will strengthen as uncertainty lessens.”

As the world waits for this to happen, how have boards been coping with it all? What lessons do they have to share? Here are some other takeaways from the 

Takeaway 1: Amp up conversations and innovation

Volatile circumstances demand adaptive governance. To achieve such responsive oversight, 42% of the directors we surveyed want to increase the frequency of their board’s strategy and risk discussions. Just over one third (35%) reported using AI tools for real-time data and risk analysis.

These findings make sense — especially in tandem. As today’s conditions spurs the need for more frequent conversations about risk and strategy, boards are also recognizing the need for real-time data and analysis to support these conversations.

“More boards are realizing that uncertainty is the new norm,” said Brian Kushner, Director at Resideo Technologies, pointing out that “many elements driving this uncertainty have been experienced in the past — just not all at the same time.”

Takeaway 2: Take action in strategic growth and risk mitigation

Given such uncertainty, is now really the right time to pursue growth?

For nearly half of the directors we surveyed, the answer is yes.

48% said they’re focused on growth in the second half of this year—despite prevailing uncertainty.

39% are addressing two areas most impacted by changing trade policies: supply chain diversification and pricing models.

36% reported risk mitigation efforts like reforecasting and scenario planning.

One director called the uncertainty surrounding tariffs “a lot of noise currently with unknowns” while noting the strength of the U.S. economy: “Fundamentals are sound.”

Want to delve more into how U.S. boards are dealing with the current business environment?

We have two resources to help you learn more: 

May's full Director Confidence Index report

deep dive into today's challenges of risk and uncertainty

Want regular access to original research in the field of GRC? Bookmark our 

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What’s occupying board agendas right now – uncertainty and risk, or on growth? 

AI is no longer the exclusive domain of tech giants. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), GenAI presents a powerful opportunity to drive efficiency, innovation, and smarter decision-making — without needing large-scale budgets or in-house data science teams.

To better understand how SMEs can unlock the potential of GenAI, Diligent Institute partnered with the Institute of Directors (IoD) to survey 60 UK-based directors. The result? A concise, actionable infographic that outlines the top challenges, opportunities, and best practices for integrating GenAI into your business strategy.

Whether you're just starting your AI journey or looking to scale your efforts, this visual guide offers a roadmap to responsible, effective adoption.

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