We're pleased to share some news: MVOS (UK) LTD is now a registered Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), a Companies House authorised agent. Here's what it means and why it matters for our clients.

What is a Companies House authorised agent (ACSP)?

An Authorised Corporate Service Provider is a business that Companies House has registered and approved to verify people's identities on its behalf, also known as a Companies House authorised agent. To become one, a business must be supervised by a UK anti-money-laundering (AML) supervisory body, meet the Companies House identity-verification standard, and keep records of every check (gov.uk). Only approved agents can carry out these checks, and Companies House audits the data they submit.

In plain terms, it's a recognised, supervised status. It tells you the agent has passed Companies House's bar to do identity checks properly, and that an AML supervisor is watching how they operate.

What this means for you

Companies House is rolling out mandatory identity verification for company directors and people with significant control (gov.uk). As a registered ACSP, MVOS is authorised to carry out that identity verification for you, so you can complete this new requirement through us as part of setting up or running your company, including from overseas.

It's a small thing that removes a real headache. Instead of working through the identity check yourself, you do it once, with us, and it counts towards your Companies House obligations. If you've already got an identity verification need on your file, this is the route that handles it.

For non-residents in particular, that matters. You don't need to be in the UK, and you don't need to decode an unfamiliar government process alone. You verify through an approved agent who does this every day.

We also file directly with Companies House

Alongside our ACSP registration, MVOS appears on the official Companies House list of company formation agents, confirming we've completed Companies House testing and file company incorporations electronically and directly. That's the fast, reliable route, and why complete applications are usually registered within about 24 hours.

These are two separate things, and it's worth keeping them straight. One list confirms we can verify identities. The other confirms we file incorporations electronically. MVOS is on both, for two different reasons.

What it doesn't mean

Here's the honest part. Being a registered ACSP, and being a listed formation agent, does not mean Companies House endorses or recommends MVOS. Companies House doesn't endorse the agents named on either list: the lists reflect verified capability, not a recommendation. We think that distinction is worth stating plainly, because trust on this stuff is built on getting the small print right.

So treat both as proof of capability. We've met the standard, we're supervised, and we can do the work. The choice of who you use is still entirely yours.

Why it matters now

Identity verification is one of the biggest changes to UK company law in years, introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. Using an authorised agent takes the friction out of it, particularly for non-UK residents, who can verify their identity through an ACSP rather than navigating the process alone.

If you're weighing up how to set up from abroad, it's one less moving part to worry about. The identity check, the address and the formation can all sit in one place. You can see how that fits together in our package comparison.

What's next

From late 2026 (no earlier than November 2026), authorised agents will also be able to file with Companies House on clients' behalf (gov.uk). As that capability comes online, we'll be able to do even more of the heavy lifting for our clients.

It's a milestone we're proud of, and it sits alongside everything else we do: a prestigious registered office address, digital mail handling, and end-to-end company formation. New to the identity-verification rules? See our guides on registering a UK company as a non-resident, whether a non-UK resident can be a company director, and what a registered office address actually is.