Companies House authentication code: where to find it
Your Companies House authentication code is the six-character code, letters and numbers, that lets you file for your company online. Companies House posts it to your company's registered office.
If you have lost it and your company already has a code, Companies House will send a reminder. A code requested through WebFiling is posted and can take up to 10 working days to arrive, so request it well before a filing is due.
What the authentication code is
The company authentication code is a code issued by Companies House to a company, and it works like a company officer's signature on online filings.
It is described as a "6 digit alphanumeric" code, so it mixes letters and numbers.
It works for Companies House WebFiling and for the Find and update company information service. Commercial filing software also needs a presenter ID and a presenter authentication code.
It is not your personal code. The personal code is an 11-character code given to a person who has verified their identity, and it belongs to that person, not to the company.
It is not your Corporation Tax UTR either. The UTR comes from HMRC, not Companies House.
How to get your authentication code
- Create an account or sign in to Companies House WebFiling, then follow the steps to request the code. Overseas companies can request a code using the Find and update company information service.
- Wait for the letter. Companies House sends the code by post to the registered office, and it can take up to 10 working days.
- If you cannot access the registered office, GOV.UK says Companies House can send the code to your home address instead.
Companies House posts the code and cannot send it by email.
What to do if you have lost it
- If your company already has a code, Companies House will send a reminder.
- You can sign in to WebFiling to change or cancel the code. Pick one that is memorable to you but not easy to guess.
- Tell everyone who files for your company before you change it, because the old code stops working as soon as it is changed.
- Check that your registered office address is up to date, because the letter goes there. The registered office is where a company receives statutory mail and legal documents.
Keep it private
Treat the code like a bank card PIN. Anyone who knows it can change your company's details online.
Companies House will never ask for the code over the phone, and cannot send it by email. If someone claiming to be from Companies House asks for it, report it as fraud.
Share it only with someone you trust to file for your company.
How Kofolio keeps your authentication code
Kofolio gives each company its own card, and the card has a field for the Companies House authentication code.
Kofolio cannot request or look up the code for you. Companies House posts it, and once it arrives you type it into the card.
The code is hidden until you press show, and it still copies while hidden. Click a value to copy it.
Quick links under the company name open Companies House and WebFiling.
Because the letter goes to your registered office, the Companies House check helps: it compares your card with the public register and shows what changed, for example a new registered office. Nothing changes until you choose Update or Keep mine.
To see when your next accounts and confirmation statement are due, and so how early to ask for a code, type your company into the free deadlines tool.
Kofolio is an organiser, not an adviser. You stay responsible for your filings, and Kofolio files nothing for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is the company authentication code the same as my UTR?
No. The authentication code comes from Companies House and is six characters of letters and numbers. The UTR comes from HMRC and is a number for Corporation Tax.
Is it the same as the personal code from identity verification?
No. The personal code is 11 characters and belongs to one person who has verified their identity. The authentication code belongs to the company.
Can I share my company authentication code?
Only with someone you trust to file for your company. Anyone who knows it can change your company's details online.
Why is my code not working?
If someone has changed the code, the old one stops working. Ask whoever files for the company, or sign in to WebFiling to change it.
Does the authentication code expire?
The GOV.UK page on authentication codes does not say that it expires. You can change it yourself in WebFiling.
Can I find the code online?
The page says Companies House sends it by post. If your company already has a code, Companies House will send a reminder.
Keep it in one place
Add your company to Kofolio, type the code in once, and copy it whenever a form asks. Kofolio is free. Find your company