Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP) Explained

An Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), such as Uniwide Formations, is a third-party service provider that acts as an intermediary between a business and Companies House. The authorised status of an ACSP allows them to check the identity and file information with Companies House on behalf of their clients. ACSPs are typically accountants, legal advisers, and company formation agents. In this article, we will explain all you need to know about Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs), including their role, the tasks they perform, who should register as an ACSP, the duties of ACSPs, and how to register. We will also cover the requirement to register with an AML supervisory body before becoming an ACSP.

What is an authorised corporate service provider (ACSP)?

ACSPs are third-party service providers authorised by Companies House to carry out identity checks (e.g. on company directors and persons with significant control) and file information on behalf of businesses. As a company formation agent, we (Uniwide Formations) are registered as an ACSP with Companies House. As an ACSP, we carry out identity verification services at no cost for customers registering a company through us. 

Registration as an ASCP must be undertaken by all agents who file with Companies House on behalf of their clients. In order to register as an ACSP, the applicant must be in a senior role (e.g. company director).

What is the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA)?

The role of ACSP is covered in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA), which came into force in October 2023. The ECCTA was introduced as part of efforts to prevent the registration of fraudulent appointments with Companies House. It provides two routes to verify the identity of a person:

• Direct verification via Companies House, 
• Through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider.

What tasks do ACSPs perform?

ACSPs carry out identity verification checks*, file documents with Companies House for clients, maintain identity verification check information for inspection in compliance with the ECCTA, and provide additional information if requested to do so by Companies House.

*  The law states that the identity verification checks carried out by ACSPs must achieve the same level of assurance of the claimed identity as those undertaken directly by Companies House. 

Who might need to use the services of an ACSP?

You may choose to use the services of an ACSP if you set up, run, own, or have significant control over a company in the UK. In any of these cases, you will need to have your identity verified to confirm to Companies House that you are who you say you are. This is normally a one-off process. You can use the services of an ACSP to verify your identity if you are:

• A company director – The identity verification of new company directors must be carried out before applying to register a company. For those being appointed to an existing company, their identity must be verified before their appointment is notified to Companies House.
• A company member, secretary, general partner or managing officer
• A person with significant control (PSC) – New PSCs have 14 days from when their company is formed to confirm to Companies House that their identity is verified.
• Filing documents with Companies House (e.g. Confirmation Statements) – Those who will be filing documents with Companies House must verify their identity before they file the document.

While the identity check process is normally a one-off process, re-verification may be necessary if Companies House has concerns regarding the validity of the identity verification.

What are the legal requirements for ACSPs?

There are a number of important legal requirements that ACSPs must comply with at all times, as follows:

AML registration	The agent must always be registered with at least one Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory body, such as the Financial Conduct Authority
Report changes	The agent must tell Companies House if there is a change to any of the information they hold about them. They must do this within 14 days.
Provision of additional information	If requested by Companies House, the ACSP must provide additional information about: The agent’s filings with Companies House and/or Identity checks Proof that the agent is complying with their legal responsibilities
Record Keeping	ACSPs must keep records of any Companies House identity checks for 7 years.

The role of complying with the legal requirements of an ACSP falls to all company officers, including directors and those in a role equivalent to a director.  

What if an ASCP does not comply with its legal duties and responsibilities?

If a sole trader, company director, or person who is the equivalent of a company does not comply with the law, they may receive a fine or even face criminal prosecution. Companies House may also cease the authorised agent’s status, preventing them from filing on behalf of clients or carrying out the verification of identities for Companies House. In addition, Companies House may:

• Close the ACSP online account 
• Publish the name of the ACSP and the date they ceased their status
• Contact anyone whose identity the ACSP has verified for re-verification, or
• Prohibit you from being a company director

How to register as an ACSP

To register as an ACSP, you will need to complete the following steps:

1. Check that you are eligible to apply as an ACSP (you must be a director, general, partner, partner, or member)
2. Have your identity verified
3. Apply to register as a Companies House authorised agent – you will need to:
   1. Sign in to or create a GOV.UK One Login 
   2. Provide details of your business, including your company number, company authentication code, correspondence address, and email address. 
   3. Confirm which Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory bodies the business is registered with
   4. Give the AML membership numbers or IDs
   5. Pay the £55.00 registration fee
   6. Confirm that you accept your legal responsibilities as an authorised agent, i.e.:
      • You will always be registered with at least one UK AML supervisory body
      • You will tell Companies House about any changes to your details, and
      • You will keep records and provide more information about filings with Companies House if requested to do so.

AML registration

In order to be registered as an ACSP, you must be registered with a supervisory body for the purposes of AML checking if you are one of the following types of business:

• Financial and credit business
• Independent legal professional
• Accountant, tax adviser, auditor and insolvency practitioner
• Trust and company service provider
• Estate agency business
• Letting agency business 
• Casino
• High-value dealer, or 
• Art market participant.

As Companies House makes clear, you must register with the supervisor who regulates your industry sector. Failing to do so means that you are breaking the law. 

AML supervisory bodies 

AML supervisory bodies in the UK include the (please note this list is not exhaustive):

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Association of Accounting
• Association of International Accountants (AIA)
• Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT)
• Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT)
• Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC)
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• General Council of the Bar
• Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers (IAB)
• Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
• Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Solicitors in England and Wales

ACSP processes and procedures

Having registered and being approved as an ACSP, it is essential that you put in place the necessary processes and procedures to ensure you remain compliant with your new duties and responsibilities. This means that you will need to implement new processes and procedures (or update the ones you have in place) for the onboarding of new clients. In particular, you must ensure that you have robust identity verification, AML, reporting and record-keeping processes.  

Having put in place your new identity ACSP processes and processes, these should be made easily available to all members of staff and training must be provided. It is also important to foster an internal culture of transparency, accountability, and adherence to the law at all times. Clients should also understand your role as an ACSP, what you are doing on their behalf, and how to provide you with the required information so that you can carry out identify checks and filing on their behalf.

Final words

Whether you intend to register yourself or your business as an ACSP or use the services of an ACSP, we hope you have found this guide useful. Mandatory Companies House identity verification by agents has significantly lowered the risk of fraud or false information being placed on the public record. Taking on the status of an ACSP should never be undertaken lightly, given the complex legal requirements involved. Before registering as an ACSP, consider the risks and practical implications for your business.

If you choose to use Uniwide Formations to handle your company registration and filing needs, you can be assured that as a Companies House authorised ACSP, we will undertake your identity verification checks and filing securely and to the highest standards.