How to Change PSC in Companies House? Complete UK Guide 2026

Knowing how to change a PSC (Person with Significant Control) at Companies House is a legal requirement for every UK limited company, not an optional admin task. Since 18 November 2025, Companies House holds the PSC register centrally, PSC identity verification has become mandatory, and the rules around reporting changes have tightened considerably. This guide from Filing Accounts UK explains exactly how to change PSC details at Companies House in 2026, using only verified facts from official Companies House and GOV.UK guidance.

At Filing Accounts, we help UK limited company directors stay compliant with PSC reporting obligations. Always check your company’s current record directly on the Companies House public register before making any changes.

What Is a PSC?

A Person with Significant Control (PSC), sometimes called a “beneficial owner,” is anyone who meets one or more of the following conditions, as set out in the official Companies House PSC guidance:

• Holds more than 25% of the company’s shares
• Holds more than 25% of the company’s voting rights
• Has the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors
• Otherwise exercises significant influence or control over the company
• Controls a trust or firm that itself meets any of the above conditions

A company’s PSC information can never be left blank. If your company genuinely has no PSC, or you have not yet been able to confirm one, you must formally tell Companies House this is the case rather than leaving the record empty.

Major 2026 Update: The PSC Register Has Moved to Companies House

Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), a significant change took effect on 18 November 2025: the legal requirement for companies to maintain their own local PSC register was abolished. Companies House now holds the definitive PSC register centrally for every company, LLP, UK Societas, and eligible Scottish partnership. This means that filing the correct form with Companies House is now the single, authoritative way to update PSC information — there is no separate internal register to keep in sync.

Major 2026 Update: Mandatory PSC Identity Verification

Also from 18 November 2025, identity verification became mandatory for all PSCs, alongside directors. This is one of the most significant Companies House reforms in years, aimed at reducing economic crime and improving the reliability of the public register.

• New PSCs (registered on or after 18 November 2025) must verify their identity before being formally registered.
• Existing PSCs (already on the register before 18 November 2025) have a specific 14-day window to verify, depending on their situation:
  • If the PSC is also a director of the company, their 14-day verification window starts the day after the company’s confirmation statement date.
  • If the PSC is not a director, their 14-day window starts on the first day of their birth month.
• This is being phased in over a 12-month transition period, meaning existing PSCs need to have verified by approximately November 2026.

Verification is completed either directly with Companies House using GOV.UK One Login, or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). Once verified, a PSC receives a personal Companies House code linked to their identity across all companies where they hold a role — they only verify once, not separately for each company. Full details are available in the official Companies House guidance on providing PSC identity verification details.

If a PSC needs more time, they can request a 14-day extension through the online service, but only before their original deadline has passed — extensions cannot be requested in advance or after the fact.

Which PSC Form Do You Need?

Companies House uses different forms depending on what has changed:

Situation	Form
A new individual becomes a PSC	PSC01
A new Relevant Legal Entity (RLE) becomes a PSC	PSC02
An individual PSC’s details change (name, address, nature of control, etc.)	PSC04
An RLE’s details change	PSC05
Someone stops being a PSC	PSC07

This guide focuses on PSC04, the form used to change the details of an existing individual PSC, since this is the most common change directors need to make. The official form and guidance are published on GOV.UK: Give notice of change of details for person with significant control (PSC04).

How to Change a PSC at Companies House: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Confirm the Change with the PSC

Before filing anything, confirm the exact details of the change directly with the PSC — for example, a new service address, a name change, or a change in the nature or level of their control. Under the Companies Act 2006, a PSC also has their own legal duty to notify the company within one month if any of their registered particulars change, so this confirmation may come from either side.

Step 2: Identify Which Form Applies

For a change to an existing individual PSC’s details, you’ll use PSC04. If the change means the person has stopped meeting any PSC condition altogether, use PSC07 instead. If a completely new person or legal entity has gained significant control, that requires PSC01 or PSC02, which is a separate process from updating existing details.

Step 3: Gather the Required Information

For PSC04, you will need both the current details on record and the updated information, including:

• Full name and any former names
• Nationality (selected from the official Companies House nationalities and countries list — entries outside this list are not accepted)
• Country of residence
• Service address (public) and usual residential address (private, not publicly displayed)
• The date the change actually took effect (not the date you are filing — Companies House requires both to be recorded accurately)
• The updated nature and level of control, where relevant

Step 4: File PSC04 with Companies House

You can file in two ways:

• Online via the Companies House WebFiling service at ewf.companieshouse.gov.uk, or through the general “Tell Companies House about changes to your company” service. This is the fastest route and Companies House explicitly recommends it over post, as paper forms take considerably longer to process.
• By post, using the downloadable PSC04 PDF form, printed at full size on white A4 paper. Note that PSC information can only be filed on paper if it is already held on the public register.

There is no filing fee for PSC04, whether filed online or by post.

Step 5: Check Identity Verification Status

If the PSC in question registered before 18 November 2025 and has not yet verified their identity, check their verification deadline on the Companies House register (under the “People” tab for your company) before or alongside filing the change, since unverified PSCs may face processing issues or enforcement action if their window has passed.

Step 6: Confirm the Update on the Public Register

After filing, check the Companies House “Find and update company information” service to confirm the change has been correctly reflected on the public register. Since companies no longer maintain their own local PSC register, this public record is now the single source of truth for your PSC information.

PSC Change: Costs and Timelines at a Glance (2026)

Change Type	Form	Companies House Fee	Deadline to File
New individual PSC	PSC01	Free	14 days of confirming the details
Change to individual PSC’s details	PSC04	Free	14 days of confirming the change
Person ceases to be a PSC	PSC07	Free	14 days of confirming they no longer qualify
PSC identity verification (existing PSCs)	Online verification service	Free	Within the individual’s assigned 14-day window, by ~November 2026

Fees and deadlines correct as of 2026, based on official Companies House and GOV.UK guidance. Always check the current position on GOV.UK, as fees and rules are subject to change.

What Happens If You Miss the 14-Day Deadline?

PSC changes must be notified to Companies House within 14 days of the change being confirmed. Missing this deadline is a breach of the Companies Act 2006 (as amended by ECCTA 2023) and is treated as a criminal offence. Every officer of the company in default can be liable to a fine on summary conviction, and continued non-compliance can result in an additional daily default fine. This is one of the areas of company law where the position gets worse the longer it is left unresolved, so late PSC filings should be corrected as soon as they are identified rather than held back until the next confirmation statement.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Changing a PSC

Filing the Wrong Form

PSC01, PSC04, and PSC07 serve different purposes. Using PSC04 to report someone who has actually stopped being a PSC altogether, for example, is the wrong form and will not correctly update the register.

Assuming Your Own Records Are Enough

Since 18 November 2025, keeping your own internal PSC register up to date is no longer sufficient on its own — Companies House holds the definitive register, so the PSC04 filing itself is what legally updates the record.

Overlooking Identity Verification

A PSC change filed correctly can still cause compliance problems if the PSC involved has not completed their mandatory identity verification within their assigned window.

Using the Wrong Nationality Entry

Companies House only accepts nationality entries from its official standard list. Using an unlisted term can cause the form to be rejected.

Confusing the Change Date with the Filing Date

PSC04 asks for the date the change actually took effect, which is not the same as the date you submit the form. Both dates should be recorded accurately.

Leaving PSC Information Blank

A company’s PSC information can never be blank. If you believe your company has no PSC, or cannot confirm one, you must formally tell Companies House rather than leaving the section incomplete.

Frequently Asked Questions: Changing a PSC at Companies House

How do I change PSC details at Companies House?

File Form PSC04 with Companies House, either online via WebFiling or by post. This notifies Companies House of a change to an existing individual PSC’s registered details, such as their name, address, or nature of control.

How much does it cost to change a PSC at Companies House?

Filing PSC04, or any other PSC notification form, is free. There is no Companies House fee for PSC changes.

What is the deadline for reporting a PSC change?

You must notify Companies House within 14 days of confirming that a PSC change has taken place.

Does Companies House still require companies to keep their own PSC register?

No. Since 18 November 2025, this requirement has been abolished under ECCTA 2023. Companies House now holds the PSC register centrally for every company.

Do PSCs need to verify their identity?

Yes. Since 18 November 2025, identity verification is mandatory for all PSCs. New PSCs must verify before being registered. Existing PSCs have a specific 14-day window depending on whether they are also a director, with the transition period running until approximately November 2026.

What happens if I miss the 14-day deadline?

Missing the deadline is a criminal offence under the Companies Act 2006. Officers of the company in default can face a fine, and continued non-compliance can attract an additional daily default fine.

Can a company have no PSC?

A company can have no PSC, but this cannot simply be left blank on the record. The company must formally confirm to Companies House that it has no PSC, or that it has not yet been able to identify or confirm one.

Need Help Updating Your PSC Register? Talk to Filing Accounts UK

PSC compliance has become more demanding since the 2025–2026 reforms, with identity verification now sitting alongside the existing 14-day reporting deadlines. Getting the right form, the right dates, and verification status correct — all within a tight window — is easy to get wrong when you’re focused on running your business.

At Filing Accounts, we support UK limited company directors with company secretarial filings and statutory compliance, so your PSC record stays accurate and up to date. If you need help changing a PSC, checking verification status, or reviewing your company’s PSC position, we are here to help.

You may also find these related guides helpful:

• How to Change Director in Companies House? Complete UK Guide 2026
• How to Change Your Company Name at Companies House
• Difference Between Sole Trader and Limited Company in 2026
• What Records Do You Need to Keep for HMRC in 2026?

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