UK Company Formation Proof of ID and Proof of Address: Acceptable Documents

Ryan Patrick

• 3 min read
UK Company Formation Proof of ID and Proof of Address: Acceptable Documents

Incorpuk is a UK government-regulated company formation agency compliant with Anti-money Laundering Regulations (AML). As mandated by the government, we must collect two forms of identification from our clients when they register with a company.

AML identification is required when purchasing services such as company secretary, registered office, or business address office.

To streamline the process, we will ask for two types of identification from the list below. You must provide these identification documents to proceed with your company formation application.

You must update your documents at least once annually upon renewal. We may also request updated documents at any time during your use. Failure to provide updated documents upon request may lead to your account being suspended and mail forwarding being suspended.

What Proof of Identification Will You Provide When Forming a Company?

When registering a company, you must provide the following as proof of name:

  1. Your current passport
  2. Current EAA or UK photocard driving licence
  3. EAA member state ID
  4. National identification card with your name and photograph
  5. Full old-style driving licence
  6. Residence permit issued by the Home Office to European Economic Area (EEA) nationals
  7. Construction sector photographic registration cards for self-employed people

What Proof of Address will You Provide when Forming a Company?

  1. Utility bills such as water and electricity that were issued within the last three months
  2. NHS medical card
  3. Council tax statement for the current year (UK residence only)
  4. Bank statement or credit union statement
  5. HMRC self-assessment/ tax demand letter
  6. Mortgage statement from a lender who is recognised.
  7. The current year tenancy agreement or housing association rent card
  8. Electoral registry entry
  9. Benefit of book or benefits agency original notification letter (UK residence only)
  10. The proof of residential address the document must have:
  11. Be recent: issued within the past three months to ensure your address is up-to-date
  12. Show the holder's name and address: ensure the document displays your full name and your current residential address.
  13. Be English written: the document must be written in English or followed by an English translation.

Do I need ID and Proof of Address Certified or Notarised?

UK residents: Once you have completed our online ID verification process, you will not need to provide certified identification documents.

EU residents: In most cases, EU residents must provide a notarised ID. Click here to find a free notary.

Non-UK residents: If you live in the UK and EU, we need your ID to be notarised by a public notary.

Who can Verify the ID and Proof of Address?

Not everyone can certify these documents. You need a professional or an authority to do it for you. Under certain conditions, we may accept alternative certifiers, but our compliance team must approve this in advance.

  1. Company formation office staff
  2. Chartered accountant
  3. Post office
  4. Solicitor/ notary
  5. Building society official/ bank
  6. Local town hall

The following individual can't certify these documents:

  1. Relatives
  2. An individual you're living under the same address
  3. Someone in a relationship with you

Remember, we can't certify identification for an individual who is not physically present during the ID representation. Therefore, the person presenting the ID must be the same person to whom the ID belongs.

Who needs to provide the Proof ID and address?

  1. Company directors
  2. Individuals holding 25% and above of voting shares
  3. An individual placing the order
  4. When a director or a member is a corporate entity, we follow the same procedure for each entity to identify the controlling individuals.

What should a certified document look like?

You must provide the original document and its photocopy to a qualified individual or authority for certification. They must certify the document by:

  1. Writing: “certified to be a real copy of the original seen by me” on the photocopy
  2. Signing and dating of your document
  3. Including their name under their signature
  4. Adding their occupation, phone number, and address
  5. Using their professional or personal stamp to stamp your document

Note: The certification must be directly on the document to be valid. This requirement applies to proof of ID and residential address.

How to Submit Proof of ID and Proof of Address Documents

After you submit your company formation, you will receive an email invitation from Credas to complete your ID verification online.

To finish the ID verification online, you must upload 1 or 2 ID documents, your selfie photograph, and one proof of address.

Your uploaded documents will be reviewed, and you may be contacted with any additional information if needed.

Form Your Company with Incorpuk Today

At Incorpuk, we will help you through the company formation process and file your confirmation statements to help your business stay compliant. Whether you're a UK resident or a non-UK resident, our team is ready to provide guidance and help you establish your company in the UK. Contact us here today.

Upcoming Changes

Companies House will implement new ID verification requirements. These will apply to all company officials, including company directors and PSG. The exact date is not yet known. But after introduction, we will need proof of ID and address for directors before forming a company or appointing a director at Companies House.