- The PSC regime originally took effect in April 2016, before the major reporting changes introduced on 26 June 2017.
- From June 2017, companies had 14 days to update their own PSC register and a further 14 days to notify Companies House.
- Companies stopped being required to maintain their own local PSC register on 18 November 2025.
- PSC identity verification became a legal requirement from 18 November 2025, with different deadlines depending on the PSC’s role and circumstances.
Why Did the PSC Rules Change in June 2017?
The UK introduced the PSC regime in April 2016 to identify the individuals and legal entities that ultimately own or control companies. A person with significant control is someone who meets at least one statutory control condition, such as holding more than 25% of the company’s shares or voting rights, having the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors, or exercising significant influence or control.
Under the original system, companies maintained their own PSC register and supplied PSC information to Companies House through the confirmation statement.
That process changed on 26 June 2017 as part of the UK’s implementation of the EU Fourth Money Laundering Directive, known as 4MLD. The reforms were designed to make beneficial ownership information more current and increase transparency around who owned and controlled UK companies.
Companies House’s guidance on the June 2017 anti-money laundering changes confirmed the new reporting requirements and changes to the entities covered by the PSC regime.
What Changed to PSC Reporting on 26 June 2017?
The biggest operational change was the move to event-driven reporting. Companies could no longer wait until their next confirmation statement to report a change to their PSC information.
| Area | Before 26 June 2017 | From 26 June 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting PSC changes | Changes were reported through the confirmation statement | Changes were reported separately when they occurred |
| Local PSC register | Companies maintained their own register | Companies continued maintaining it and had 14 days to update it |
| Companies House reporting | PSC information was provided through periodic reporting | Companies had a further 14 days to notify Companies House |
| Confirmation statement | Used to provide and update PSC information | No longer used to report PSC changes |
| PSC filings | No separate event-driven filing process | PSC01 to PSC09 filings were used for relevant PSC events |
PSC Changes Became Event-Driven
From 26 June 2017, companies had to deal with PSC changes as they occurred.
Reportable events included:
- a person or registrable legal entity becoming a PSC
- an existing PSC ceasing to qualify
- a change to a PSC’s registered details
- a change to the nature or level of control
- a required PSC statement becoming true or ceasing to be true
For example, if an individual increased their shareholding and moved into a different statutory control band, the company had to update the relevant PSC information instead of waiting for its next annual confirmation statement.
PSC Changes Moved Out of the Confirmation Statement
The confirmation statement remained an annual Companies House filing, but from 26 June 2017 it stopped being the mechanism for reporting PSC changes.
Under the 2017 process, a company had 14 days to update its own PSC register after obtaining and confirming the relevant information. It then had a further 14 days to send that information to Companies House.
This created the commonly described 14+14 reporting process.
The confirmation statement continued to serve other purposes, including confirming company information held by Companies House, but PSC changes had to be dealt with separately.
Dedicated PSC Forms Were Used for Changes
The event-driven system used dedicated PSC forms.
For companies, the PSC01 to PSC09 series covered matters such as:
- registering an individual PSC
- registering a relevant legal entity or other registrable person
- changing PSC details
- recording that someone had ceased to be a PSC
- submitting or updating PSC statements
LLPs use the corresponding LL PSC forms.
Companies House now also provides online services for reporting relevant changes, so paper forms are no longer the only filing route.
Which Companies and Partnerships Were Brought Into Scope in 2017?
The June 2017 reforms also expanded the reach of the PSC regime.
Scottish Limited Partnerships
From 26 June 2017, active Scottish limited partnerships had to identify their PSCs. From 24 July 2017, they had to submit that information to Companies House. New Scottish limited partnerships registering from 24 July 2017 also had to provide their PSC information as part of the registration process.
Qualifying Scottish General Partnerships
General partnerships constituted under Scots law where all partners were corporate bodies also came within the PSC reporting regime. They had to identify their PSCs from 26 June 2017 and register the relevant information with Companies House from 24 July 2017.
Changes to Existing Market Exemptions
The reforms also changed exemptions that applied to companies subject to the former DTR5 disclosure regime.
At the time of the June 2017 changes, companies whose voting shares were admitted to trading on an EEA or Schedule 1 specified market remained exempt. Companies that no longer met the revised exemption had to comply with the PSC reporting requirements.
These were the rules applying at the time of the 2017 reform. Current entities should use the latest Companies House PSC guidance to determine their present reporting obligations.
What Else Changed Under the 2017 PSC Reforms?
The 2017 reforms also changed how protected PSC information could be accessed.
PSC information was generally available on the public Companies House register, while information such as a PSC’s usual residential address and full date of birth received additional protection.
The June 2017 changes extended access to certain protected PSC information to qualifying credit and financial institutions where the legal conditions for disclosure were met. The protection regime was also extended to Scottish partnerships brought within the PSC rules.
People who faced a serious risk of violence or intimidation because of their association with a company could apply for protection from public disclosure under the relevant Companies House protection process.
What Do the June 2017 PSC Changes Mean in 2026?
The principle introduced in June 2017 remains important: PSC information must be kept current, and changes are reported when they occur. The administrative process has changed significantly since then.
| Area | Position introduced in 2017 | Position on 18 August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| PSC reporting | Changes became event-driven | Event-driven reporting remains |
| Local PSC register | Companies had to maintain and update their own register | Companies no longer need to maintain a local PSC register |
| Reporting deadline | 14 days to update the local register plus 14 days to notify Companies House | Confirmed PSC changes must be reported to Companies House within 14 days |
| Confirmation statement | PSC changes were removed from the confirmation statement process | PSC changes continue to be reported separately |
| Identity verification | No PSC identity verification requirement | PSC identity verification is a legal requirement |
The most important procedural change took effect on 18 November 2025. Companies stopped being required to keep their own local registers of directors, directors’ residential addresses, secretaries and PSCs. They must still provide this information to Companies House and keep it up to date.
Companies House explains the current position in its guidance on changes to company registers. This means the historic 28-day PSC process should not be followed as the current filing rule. Under the 2026 process, a company must tell Companies House about a confirmed change to its PSC information within 14 days of confirming the change.
Identity Verification for PSCs
PSC requirements changed again under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. Mandatory identity verification became a legal requirement on 18 November 2025, starting a 12-month transition period for existing directors and PSCs.
A PSC must verify their identity and provide their Companies House personal code for their PSC role. The deadline depends on their circumstances.
- Existing PSC who is also a director of the same company: The PSC must provide their personal code during a 14-day period starting the day after the company’s confirmation statement date. They must provide the code separately for their director and PSC roles.
- Existing PSC who is not a director of the same company: The PSC must provide their personal code within the first 14 days of their birth month.
- Person who became a PSC after 18 November 2025: They can provide their personal code when they are added to the Companies House register or within 14 days of being added.
Companies House publishes each PSC’s applicable verification period and explains the deadlines in its guidance on when PSCs need to verify their identity.
Continuing as a PSC after the applicable deadline without complying with the identity verification requirements can constitute an offence. Companies House can use enforcement routes including financial penalties and prosecution.
What Must Companies Do About PSC Information in 2026?
Companies still have an ongoing responsibility to identify their PSCs and keep the information held by Companies House accurate.
Follow these four steps:
- Identify your PSCs. Check whether anyone meets one or more of the statutory conditions for significant control, including share ownership, voting rights, board appointment rights or significant influence or control.
- Confirm the required information. Before submitting an individual’s PSC information, confirm details such as their name, date of birth, nationality, addresses, date they became a PSC and nature of control.
- Report changes within 14 days. Tell Companies House within 14 days after confirming a change to PSC information, including changes to personal details or nature of control.
- Check identity verification deadlines. Each PSC must verify their identity and provide their Companies House personal code within the deadline that applies to their role and circumstances.
If the company has no PSC, it must tell Companies House. If it has not identified or confirmed a PSC, the appropriate PSC statement must be registered. PSC information cannot simply be left blank.
The June 2017 reforms established the event-driven reporting principle that still underpins PSC compliance. The filing process has since changed, and the current rules now centre on direct Companies House reporting, a 14-day reporting deadline for confirmed changes and mandatory identity verification.
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