ACSP registration delayed to November 2027? What accountants should check

What the sources actually say

The brief behind this guide says mandatory presenter identity verification and compulsory ACSP registration have moved to no earlier than November 2027, with at least six months' notice. We could not confirm that. The only source we could read says something different, so treat the 2027 date as unverified until you have checked it yourself.

The Companies House post on the XML Gateway forum, dated 19 January 2026, says the Spring 2026 due date for presenter measures has been postponed until no earlier than November 2026. You can read it in full on the Companies House XML Gateway forum. It gives two reasons: finishing the identity verification transition period for directors and PSCs, and giving more time to address stakeholder feedback.

A trade press piece, 18 November isn't the finish line for Companies House ID checks on AccountingWeb, may cover a later delay. We could not open it, so we cannot say what it claims. Neither source, as far as we could check, confirms a six-month notice commitment.

What is settled

• From 18 November 2025, identity verification became a legal requirement for anyone setting up, running, owning or controlling a UK company.
• In future, presenters, meaning those who file statutory documents, will need to be identity verified or registered as an Authorised Corporate Services Provider (ACSP).
• Companies House says further information will follow, and it will consider whether exemptions or amendments to the legislation are needed.

What is not settled

• The exact start date for presenter measures.
• Any minimum notice period.
• The detail of voluntary registration, including fees and steps. Our sources say nothing on this.

How to check the date yourself

Do this before you plan anything around a date. Start with the ECCT transition plan on GOV.UK and the Companies House "Changes to UK company law" website, both of which the forum post says were updated. Then check any notice from your professional body, such as ICAEW. If the notices disagree with a trade press article, go with the notices.

Questions to Companies House can go to the XML team at [email protected], the address given in the forum post.

Register now or wait?

This is a judgement call, and we have opinions but no certainty. The case for waiting is simple: the date has already slipped once, rules may change after stakeholder feedback, and our sources give no detail on voluntary registration. The case for acting early is also simple: you learn the process while it is optional, and you are not caught in a queue if the deadline arrives with short notice.

Whatever you choose, a few things are worth doing regardless of the date.

• List who in your firm files at Companies House and how they do it.
• Check which of your clients' directors and PSCs have already verified their identity, since that has been a legal requirement since 18 November 2025.
• Decide whether you want to file as a presenter with personal verification, or register the firm as an ACSP. Confirm the requirements for the second route from official guidance, not from us.

Why the delay matters for winning clients

New companies are the group most affected by these rules, because they file first and need someone to do it. Firstfile's count of the Companies House register shows 14,720 new UK companies were incorporated between 1 and 7 November 2026. Of those, 36.3% were shells, holding companies or formation-agent registrations, which left 9,380 new UK companies after removing the noise.

For accountants, 5,179 new companies scored 60 or more in the same week, again from Firstfile's count of the Companies House register. Many of those directors do not yet have an adviser. A firm that can explain identity verification clearly to a new director has an easy reason to start a conversation. See our page for accountants for how we score leads, and our data sources for where the data comes from.

What to do this week

1. Open the GOV.UK transition plan and note the current presenter date in your own file, with the date you checked it.
2. Check your ICAEW or other professional body notices for the same date.
3. Ask your practice manager who files at Companies House today.
4. Write a short client note on director and PSC identity verification, which is already law.
5. Set a reminder to recheck official notices each month.

More practical reading is in our guides.