Do accountants need to register as an ACSP to help clients verify?
No. Registering as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider is a choice, not a requirement, for helping clients with Companies House identity verification. Practices can instead send clients to an existing ACSP route, keep the client relationship, and avoid running an identity-checking operation.
Registration is optional
Clients can verify through GOV.UK One Login or through any ACSP. Your practice does not have to be one.
ACSP status brings duties
An ACSP must be supervised for anti-money laundering, verify identity to the required standard and keep records of each check.
Partnering avoids the setup
With a referral link, our ACSP partner carries the verification duties and your practice carries none of them.
Still earn from it
You earn £5 for each paid verification made through your link.
Registering as an ACSP compared with partnering
Becoming an ACSP makes sense for firms that want to file for clients as an authorised agent and are prepared to run identity checks themselves. That means choosing an identity checking method that meets the standard, training staff, handling failed and edge cases, and keeping records of every check for inspection.
For many practices, especially smaller ones, the volume does not justify that overhead. Most clients only need verifying once, and the cases that take the most time are the hardest ones: overseas directors, non-biometric passports and mismatched names.
Partnering gives clients a proper ACSP route without your practice registering. You keep advising the client; we and our ACSP partner handle the check itself, and you are paid for the referral.
How it works
- 01
Apply in two minutes
Tell us about your firm and how many clients need verifying. We reply within 1 business day.
- 02
Get your referral link
Once approved you receive a personal link and code to share with clients by email, letter or your client portal.
- 03
Clients verify online
Each client completes a 10-minute online form and uploads their ID. A person checks it before it goes to our ACSP partner.
- 04
Earn £5 per client
You earn £5 for every paid verification made through your link, paid by bank transfer in the first week of the following month.
Partner instead of registering
Give your clients an ACSP route without taking on the checks. Apply in two minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Do accountants have to register as an ACSP?
No. ACSP registration is optional. Clients can verify their identity through GOV.UK One Login or through any authorised ACSP, so a practice can help clients without registering itself.
What does registering as an ACSP involve?
An ACSP must be supervised for anti-money laundering purposes, verify identity to the standard set for Companies House and keep records of the checks it performs. It also takes on responsibility for the quality of those checks.
Can I help clients verify without becoming an ACSP?
Yes. You can refer clients to CorpAssist, which submits verifications through its ACSP partner. You keep the client relationship and earn £5 per paid verification.
When does ACSP registration make sense for a practice?
It suits firms that want to act as an authorised agent for filings and have the volume and staff to run identity checks in-house. Smaller practices often find partnering simpler.