A director may hold one personal code and still need a separate company authentication code for online filing. Putting both into the same spreadsheet column is an easy way to lock the wrong person out of the next confirmation statement.
A director may hold one personal code and still need a separate company authentication code for online filing. Putting both into the same spreadsheet column is an easy way to lock the wrong person out of the next confirmation statement.
Start by separating the records
For a company team, the useful question is not whether a task appears on a calendar. It is whether the UK record can be matched to the correct entity, responsible person and filing evidence.
In practice, the question is seldom whether a document exists. The important points are whose record it is, which step it supports and when it was valid. The public guidance from Companies House is a sensible starting point, but account messages and case-specific requests still need a separate review.
Checks before action
One case owner should complete these four checks and record how any difference was resolved.
- Record which code belongs to an individual and which belongs to the company.
- Link each director and PSC to every appointment that needs identity confirmation.
- Restrict access to people who actually file or supervise filings.
- Test account access before the filing window opens.
Where the file often breaks
The common mistake is to treat the personal code as a replacement for the company authentication code. Companies House describes them as separate credentials with different purposes.
Leave a file another reviewer can follow
Keep a controlled register showing the holder, related company, last access test and person authorised to file. Do not put either code into board minutes or a general shared drive.
Ask someone who did not handle the matter to sample the file. If that person can reconstruct what happened from the working paper, the record is ready for handover.
Publication date: 2026-08-31; editorial review date: 2026-09-14. The publication date completes the website category timeline; sources were checked on the editorial review date. This article is based on public information from Companies House and provides general information, not legal, tax, immigration, education or financial advice. Recheck the official page and account notices before acting on a particular case. Source: Companies House.