What Is Changing in March 2026 for Nominee Director Providers?
The UK is overhauling how company information is verified and filed. From March 2026, Companies House will restrict most key activities—such as verifying directors and People with Significant Control (PSCs), filing company updates, and incorporating new companies—to ACSP-registered firms. In practice, this means that any business offering nominee director services must be regulated, AML-supervised and authorised by Companies House as an ACSP.
Why the UK Is Introducing the ACSP Regime
- To stop unregulated and offshore nominee providers from misusing UK companies
- To ensure all directors, PSCs and subscribers are properly identity-verified
- To improve the accuracy and credibility of the Companies House register
- To reduce economic crime, money laundering and fraudulent corporate structures
- To give legitimate overseas entrepreneurs a safer, more transparent environment
From the implementation date, you will no longer be able to rely on a provider that is simply “experienced” or “cheap”. They must be recognised as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, or they will be locked out of Companies House systems altogether. By contrast, CG Incorporations is already a fully registered ACSP and TCSP with strong AML supervision, meaning our non-resident company formation and nominee director clients are already aligned with the new framework.
These changes also integrate with other services non-UK residents commonly need, such as UK VAT registration, tax and accounting support, and optional nominee shareholder services. Using one ACSP-registered firm for all of these significantly reduces the risk of gaps, inconsistencies, or non-compliance as the law tightens.
Crucially, from March 2026 identity verification is not optional. If your nominee provider cannot verify you as a director or PSC through the new system, your company’s filings may be rejected and Companies House can begin enforcement, including potential strike-off action for persistent non-compliance.
Why These Reforms Are Good News for Legitimate Non-UK Residents
At first glance, stronger rules and extra verification can look like a burden. In reality, the ACSP regime is very positive for serious founders who want a clean, credible route into the UK market. It effectively removes unregulated, “no-questions-asked” operators and replaces them with professionally supervised firms that must follow strict AML, KYC and reporting standards.
| Benefit of the 2026 ACSP Rules | What It Means for Overseas Entrepreneurs |
|---|---|
| Higher trust in UK companies | Your UK company is less likely to be judged suspicious simply because you are non-resident, as the registry will be more reliable and better policed. |
| Protection from unregulated providers | You are steered away from offshore or informal nominee providers that could unintentionally place you in breach of UK law or AML requirements. |
| Clear, supervised identity verification | You follow a transparent, documented verification process with an ACSP instead of ad-hoc or incomplete checks that may fail later. |
| Joined-up compliance | Your nominee director, filings, VAT and accounting are handled by a single, regulated firm, reducing errors and missed deadlines. |
| Stronger privacy with legality | You can still use a nominee director and, where appropriate, a nominee shareholder for public privacy, but within a framework that respects PSC disclosure and UK law. |
For clients of CG Incorporations, the reforms largely formalise what we already do. As a regulated ACSP and TCSP, we have long combined robust AML controls with practical privacy tools such as nominee directors and nominee shareholders. We also do not provide services to FATF grey- or black-listed countries, aligning our work with the UK government’s expectations on risk and transparency.
The result is that serious non-UK founders—those who genuinely want to trade, hold assets or operate long-term businesses in the UK—gain a more stable environment. When banks, payment providers, marketplaces or professional counterparties see that your structure is supported by a regulated ACSP, it becomes easier to build trust and open doors.
You still retain control as the beneficial owner. A professionally managed nominee arrangement, backed by clear documentation and PSC transparency, provides the best of both worlds: privacy on public records with full legal compliance behind the scenes.
If Your Provider Is Not an ACSP, You Will Need to Move – and Pay Again
The most important practical point is this: if your current nominee director provider is not ACSP-registered, you will be forced to move in 2026 if you want to keep using your UK company. Companies House will not allow non-ACSP firms to file on your behalf, verify your identity, or manage statutory updates. There is no automatic grandfathering or “grandfather discount” for legacy arrangements.
That means two things for affected clients:
- You must appoint a new, ACSP-compliant nominee director or re-paper your existing structure through a registered ACSP; and
- You will need to pay again for the new onboarding, verification and documentation, even if you paid a non-ACSP provider previously.
ACSP onboarding includes identity verification, AML screening, risk assessment, updating Companies House records and issuing new nominee and indemnity agreements. These are regulated activities and cannot simply be transferred across from an unregulated provider. In short, the work has to be redone properly.
Leaving the switch until the last minute is risky. If you wait until early 2026, you are likely to face backlogs and delays as tens of thousands of companies rush to regularise their position. During that period, it may be harder to file changes, open bank accounts or satisfy compliance checks with counterparties.
The safest strategy is to move early to a reputable ACSP such as CG Incorporations. We can review your existing structure, regularise your nominee director and (if needed) nominee shareholder arrangements, and align your non-resident formation, VAT and accounting in one joined-up compliance stack.
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Published: 11/27/2025 10:56:51 AM. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice.
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