A person with significant control UK (also called a beneficial owner) is any individual who owns or controls more than 25% of a UK limited company, or who otherwise has significant influence over it. Every UK company must identify its PSCs, record them on a public register, and file that information with Companies House. Since November 2025, each PSC also has to verify their identity, and this applies whether you live in London or Lagos.
If you have formed a UK company as a non-resident, or you are about to, this guide walks through exactly who counts as a PSC, what the register shows, and what the new verification rules mean for you.
What Is a Person with Significant Control (PSC)?
A PSC is the real human being behind a company. Companies can be owned by other companies, trusts, or nominees, so the PSC rules force every UK company to name the actual people pulling the strings. It is a transparency measure, plain and simple.
Companies House requires PSC registration to reduce money laundering, fraud, and hidden ownership. The register is public, so anyone can look up who controls a UK company. That openness is part of why UK companies are trusted by banks and payment providers around the world.
An individual becomes a PSC if they meet one or more of five conditions. Meeting a single condition is enough. You do not need to be a director, and you do not need to live in the UK.
The 5 conditions in brief
- Holds more than 25% of the shares.
- Holds more than 25% of the voting rights.
- Can appoint or remove a majority of the board of directors.
- Exercises significant influence or control over the company.
- Exercises significant influence or control through a trust or firm that itself meets any of the above.
The 5 PSC Conditions Explained
Here is what each condition actually means in practice, with examples aimed at founders who own their company through simple shareholdings.
Condition 1: Holds more than 25% of shares
If you own more than a quarter of the issued shares, you are a PSC. A sole founder holding 100% of shares clearly qualifies. Two co-founders splitting shares 50/50 are both PSCs. If you are unsure how shareholdings work, our UK company shareholders guide breaks it down.
Condition 2: Holds more than 25% of voting rights
Voting rights and share percentages are usually the same, but not always. Some companies issue share classes with different voting weights. If your shares carry more than 25% of the total votes, you are a PSC even if your economic stake looks smaller.
Condition 3: Can appoint or remove a majority of directors
Control of the board matters too. If your shareholding or a contract lets you appoint or remove most of the directors, you meet this condition regardless of your share percentage.
Condition 4: Exercises significant influence or control
This is the catch-all. Someone might hold fewer shares but still direct company decisions through a shareholders agreement, veto rights, or informal but real influence. If you effectively run the show, you are a PSC.
Condition 5: Significant influence through a trust or firm
If control is held through a trust or a partnership rather than directly, the individuals who control that trust or firm can be PSCs of your company. This mainly affects layered ownership structures.
Practical examples for non-resident founders
- Solo founder, 100% shares: one PSC (you).
- Two co-founders, 50/50: two PSCs.
- Three founders, 40/40/20: the two 40% holders are PSCs; the 20% holder is not (unless they meet another condition).
- Company owned by a holding company: you look through to the individuals who control the parent.
When you decide how shares are split, keep the PSC thresholds in mind. Our guide on how to issue shares in a UK limited company covers the mechanics.
The New PSC Identity Verification Rules (Since November 2025)
This is the change most founders miss. Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, every PSC of a UK company must verify their identity with Companies House. The requirement started rolling out from November 2025, and GOV.UK updated its PSC statutory guidance in March 2026 to reflect it.
Verification confirms you are a real person and that you are who you say you are. It is a one-time check per individual, and it applies to directors as well as PSCs.
How overseas founders verify
You do not need to be in the UK. There are two routes:
- GOV.UK One Login: a free government identity service you can use through an app, matching your face against a photo ID such as a passport.
- Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP): a regulated agent verifies your identity on your behalf and confirms it to Companies House. This is often the simpler path for non-residents.
We cover the exact steps in our walkthrough on Companies House identity verification.
Consequences of failing to verify
Failing to verify when required is a criminal offence. It can also lead to financial penalties, and Companies House can annotate the register to flag non-compliance, which banks and partners can see. In short, do not skip it.
Deadlines and timeline
New companies formed after the rules took effect need verified identities from the outset. Existing companies are being brought into scope on a transition timetable, often tied to the confirmation statement date. Check your company’s specific deadline on Companies House and do not leave it to the last day.
What Information Goes on the PSC Register?
The PSC register is part of the public record. For each individual PSC you must record:
- Full name
- Date of birth (only month and year shown publicly)
- Nationality
- Country or state of usual residence
- Service (correspondence) address, shown publicly
- Usual residential address, kept private by Companies House
- The date they became a PSC
- The nature of their control, using the percentage bands
Service address vs residential address
Your service address appears on the public register. Your residential address stays private and is only used internally. Many non-resident founders use a UK correspondence address rather than publishing a home address abroad. A UK mail forwarding and registered address service handles this cleanly.
Nature of control bands
The register uses fixed percentage bands rather than exact figures:
| Band | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Over 25% up to 50% | Minority significant holding |
| More than 50% and less than 75% | Majority control |
| 75% or more | Full or near-full control |
When to update
If ownership changes, someone becomes or stops being a PSC, or a band shifts, you must update the register and tell Companies House. Confirm the details every year on your confirmation statement.
How to File PSC Information at Companies House
PSC details are usually captured when you form the company. After that, changes are filed using the right form:
- PSC01: notify or update an individual PSC.
- PSC02: notify a relevant legal entity (for example a corporate PSC).
- PSC03: notify another registrable person, such as a corporate trustee.
Online filing through Companies House is faster and cheaper than paper, and it is the norm for most founders. You have 14 days to record a change in your own register and a further period to notify Companies House. Doing it straight away keeps you clean.
Setting up your company correctly from day one avoids most PSC headaches. If you are still at the start, see how to register a company in the UK. A formation package like LaunchPad handles the initial PSC filing and registered address for you.
Special Considerations for Non-Resident Founders
Living outside the UK changes nothing about your PSC obligations. If you meet a condition, you are a PSC, full stop. The rules apply to founders in every country.
The main practical points for you are:
- Address: you need a service address on the public register. Use a UK address rather than your home address abroad.
- Registered office: your company also needs a UK registered office, separate from your PSC service address but often provided together.
- Identity verification: use GOV.UK One Login or an ACSP, both of which work from overseas.
If you are running a digital or e-commerce business and want enhanced address handling plus support, Digital Pro Suite bundles these together. Founders scaling into VAT and accounting often move up to ScaleUp for ongoing compliance.
For the official rules, the GOV.UK PSC guidance is the primary source and is worth bookmarking.
FAQ
Can a company be a PSC?
A company is not a PSC in the same way an individual is, but it can be a Relevant Legal Entity (RLE) that appears on the register. When ownership runs through a corporate parent, you record the RLE and then look through to the individuals who ultimately control it.
What if there is no PSC?
Every UK company must still make a statement. If no one meets any of the five conditions, or the company is still identifying its PSCs, you file the appropriate official statement rather than leaving the record blank. Most small founder-owned companies do have at least one PSC.
Can PSC information be suppressed?
Your residential address is always kept private. In limited cases where a PSC is at serious risk of harm, an application can be made to protect certain details from public view, but this is exceptional and must be approved by Companies House.
What is the difference between a PSC and a director?
A director runs the company day to day. A PSC owns or controls it. One person can be both, and often is in a small company, but the roles are distinct. You can be a PSC without being a director, and a director without being a PSC.
How often must PSC information be confirmed?
You confirm your PSC details at least once a year through the confirmation statement. Any change must be recorded in your own register within 14 days and then notified to Companies House shortly after.
