Losing Sleep Over Your Companies House Authentication Code? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Your webfiling authentication code is one of the most important documents you receive when your company is first registered. It is a unique, six-character alphanumeric code that acts as a digital signature for your business.

Why do you need it?

Without this code, you cannot make essential company changes online. You need it to file:

Annual accounts.

Annual confirmation statements.

Changes to directors or registered addresses.

Where can you find your code?

How you find your code depends entirely on how your business was started:

Via a Third-Party Website: If you used a formation agent, simply log in to your account on their site. You should see the code listed next to your company name.

Directly via Companies House: Companies House does not have an online portal for incorporation records. Instead, they send the code via post to your registered office address at the time of incorporation.

What if you’ve lost the code?

If you can’t find it, don’t panic—but be aware that it cannot be recovered online. You must request a new one by following these steps:

Log in to the Companies House Webfiling service.

Select the “Request authentication code” link.

Enter your company number and location (e.g., England/Wales).

Wait for the post: For security, the new code is sent to your registered office address and usually arrives within 5-7 working days.

Accountant’s Tip: To save you the “old school” hassle of waiting for the post, you can import your company details directly into our website portal. By entering your company number and code once, we save it securely in our system, so you never have to worry about losing it again.