Apply online to register as an ACSP on Companies House ACSP registration page

The steps are as follows:

1. Check you can apply, if you are a sole trader, you can register yourself as an authorised agent.

To register a business as a Companies House authorised agent, you must have a senior role. You must be one of the following:

• Director
• General partner
• Partner
• Member

You’ll be able to add other people who work for the business to the agent account once it’s registered.

If you’re registering a corporate body

If the body is managed by its members, you must be a member of the body. Otherwise, you must be the equivalent of a director.

If you’re registering an unincorporated entity

If the body is managed by its members, you must be a member of the body. Otherwise, you must be a member of the governing body.

2. Verify your identity

You’ll need to verify your identity for Companies House before you can use the online service to register an authorised agent.

If you have not verified before you start your application, Companies House ask you to do it when you start.

3. Tell Companies House about the business

The details you need to give will depend on the type of business you’re registering.

Limited companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs)

You’ll need to tell Companies House the:

• company number
• company authentication code
• correspondence address
• email address for correspondence

Companies House will also ask which business sector you work in. This is optional. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/money-laundering-regulations-who-needs-to-register

Companies House will check your AML supervisory body holds the company name that’s shown on the Companies House register. If the AML registration is in a different name, you’ll need to update this before you apply.

https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company

Sole traders

This could mean you are self-employed and registered with HMRC for Self Assessment.

You’ll need to tell Companies House

• your name
• your business name, if you have one
• your date of birth
• your nationality
• the country you live in (if you live in the UK, you’ll need to tell Companies House which part)
• your correspondence address
• your email address for correspondence

if your supervisory body holds your name, your business name, or both

They will also ask which business sector you work in. This is optional.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/money-laundering-regulations-who-needs-to-register

Other types of business

If you’re registering:

• a limited partnership (LP)
• a partnership
• a corporate body (not including limited companies or limited liability partnerships)
• an unincorporated entity (not including sole traders)

You’ll need to tell Companies House the:

• business name
• business address (this must be in the UK)
• correspondence address
• email address for correspondence

If you are registered with the AML supervisory body with your own name, you’ll need to give your name. Otherwise, Companies House will check the AML supervisory body holds the business name.

They will also ask which business sector you work in. This is optional.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/money-laundering-regulations-who-needs-to-register

4. Tell us the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) registration details

The business must be registered with a UK AML supervisory body.

https://www.gov.uk/anti-money-laundering-registration

You’ll need to tell Companies House the:

• names of the supervisory bodies the business is registered with
• AML membership numbers or IDs

Companies House will confirm the supervisory body has the same name and membership number for your business. If the details do not match, Companies House will reject your application.

It may take Companies House longer to confirm these details if you have only recently registered with the AML supervisory body.

How to find your membership number

Depending on your supervisory body, you may be able to find this on:

• your practising certificate
• communications from the supervisory body
• the supervisory body’s online register

Your AML supervisory body may have a different name for it, such as:

• a firm ID or number
• a regulation ID
• an AML ID

You should contact the AML supervisory body if you need to check your details.

5. Confirm your legal responsibilities

You’ll need to confirm you accept your legal responsibilities as an authorised agent.

Once registered, authorised agents must:

• always be registered with at least one UK AML supervisory body
• tell Companies House about any changes to the authorised agent’s details
• keep records and provide more information about filings with Companies House if requested

For more information about the authorised agent’s responsibilities and how to comply, read the guidance for authorised agents.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/being-an-authorised-corporate-service-provider

6. After you’ve registered

If your application is accepted, Companies House register your business as an authorised agent.

Companies House will create an authorised agent account for the business. You’ll be able to access this and services for authorised agents when you sign in to your Companies House account.

Read the guidance for authorised agents to find out how to manage your agent account, including how to add other users.

What information will Companies House publish online?

Companies House will not by default publish information to show that a business has registered as an authorised agent. This is planned to become an opt-in function once an online record is available. 

However, if Companies House need to suspend a business from acting as an authorised agent, or if a business stops being an authorised agent, Companies House will publish the:

• name of the business or sole trader
• status - to show if it has been suspended, or if it has stopped being an authorised agent
• date the status changed

If a person uses an authorised agent to verify their identity, Companies House will show some information about the agent that has verified them.

When the person connects their verified identity to our records, Companies House will show the:

• name of the authorised agent
• names of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) supervisory bodies the agent is registered with