How identity verification works

There are two related checks here: confirming your identity and confirming your connection to the company. Proving who you are alone doesn't establish that you can act for a particular company.

Starting a new limited company

FOUNDRS includes identity verification in its incorporation journey, alongside the information needed to register your company: its name, address, directors, shareholders and share structure.

That puts the check into the wider setup process, while you're preparing the information Companies House needs and identifying who will be responsible for the company.

Read our guide if you're still working through those decisions: Starting a business in simple steps.

Bringing an existing company into FOUNDRS

If you are a solo founder and your company is already registered, you can import it into FOUNDRS. Identity verification is a required part of that journey so we can check who you are, establish that you're a director of the company and confirm your authority to have us make filings on its behalf.

Once you've brought your company into FOUNDRS, you can use its company management tools, including document storage and compliance assistant, and make supported filings through the platform, such as confirmation statements and registered office address changes.

FOUNDRS still requires its own identity and director checks when you import a company, so we can establish your authority to use the filing services. These checks serve a separate purpose from obtaining a Companies House personal code.

Tips for a smooth check

• Use good light. Daylight works best. Avoid glare on your ID.
• Show the whole document. All four corners in the frame, with nothing covering it.
• Check your ID is valid. It needs to be in date and undamaged.

What happens next

When your check is complete, you'll move on to the next step of your setup. If there's a problem, you'll see a message saying something went wrong. See the troubleshooting section below.

Troubleshooting