ACSP Changes

ACSP Changes: What business owners need to know

What is the ACSP reform?

ACSP changes mean accountants, formation agents, and similar firms must register as Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs) if they want to:

Verify identities of company directors or PSCs (People with Significant Control), or
File certain documents on behalf of clients at Companies House. This comes from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), designed to make company records more accurate and reduce fraud.

Why the ACSP changes are important

Accountability & Anti-Fraud: ACSPs must be supervised under UK anti-money laundering (AML) regimes.
Authenticity of Filings: Only authorised agents will be able to verify IDs and submit filings.
Timeline: While firms can already register (registration opened in March 2025), it becomes mandatory for ACSPs to file for clients from spring/summer 2026.

What this means for accounting practices

Accountants will need to decide whether to become an ACSP
To register, your firm must:
- Be AML-supervised (e.g. by HMRC, ICAEW, or another relevant body).
- Undergo identity checks and verify its own credentials.
- Pay a one-off registration fee (reported to be around £55 for Companies House agents).

What business clients should understand

Directors and PSCs will need to verify their identity. From 18 November 2025, verification is required for new and existing directors as part of the confirmation statement.
Clients may prefer to use an ACSP to handle filings, especially if they don’t want to verify themselves via GOV.UK One Login.
If you’re not yet an ACSP, clients that require filings may have to look for an agent that is authorised.

Risks & practical considerations

If you register as an ACSP, you take on greater responsibility. You’re accountable for the accuracy of identity verification and for AML compliance.
There may be additional admin burden, especially for smaller firms: separate onboarding for clients to verify identity, record-keeping, and reporting.
You’ll need to train staff to understand the ID-verification process and how to manage “Persons with Significant Control” data.

How to prepare

Consider ACSP registration now — even if you don’t file for all clients yet.
Put AML processes in place (if not already): ID collection, risk assessment, verification tools.
Communicate with your clients: Let them know about the changes and how it might affect their filings.
Review your systems: Ensure you can securely collect and store verified identity docs (passport, utility bill, etc.)
Plan ahead: Track your registration application, consider who in your team will perform verification, and estimate your additional workload.

Final Thoughts on ACSP changes

The ACSP changes mark a big shift in how trust and identity are managed at Companies House. For accounting firms, there’s both risk and opportunity: it’s a chance to strengthen your compliance capability, offer more value to clients, and become a trusted gatekeeper in the new world of verified corporate filings.

Helping you with ACSP changes

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