Companies House presenter ID: what it is and whether you need one

In short: A presenter ID, with its presenter authentication code, belongs to a Companies House presenter account, the account that files company documents through software. It is not the company authentication code, the 6-character code posted to the registered office that authorises a filing for your company. If you file your own accounts on Companies House's online service, GOV.UK's instructions ask for a password and the company authentication code, not a presenter ID. With Taxley you enter only the company authentication code.

Last checked on GOV.UK on 26 October 2026.

What is a Companies House presenter ID?

A presenter ID is the identifier Companies House gives to a presenter account, the account used to file company documents through software. GOV.UK says that when Companies House creates the account it gives you a presenter ID and a code (GOV.UK: Preparing and filing Companies House accounts). The code is called the presenter authentication code.

Software filing sends information to Companies House through its XML gateway, with no postage and an immediate acknowledgement of receipt (GOV.UK: Using software to file your company's information). That route is what the presenter account is for.

How is a presenter ID different from the company authentication code?

They are two separate credentials. The presenter ID and presenter authentication code belong to the account that sends the filing. The company authentication code belongs to the company: Companies House issues a 6-character alphanumeric code to each company, and it works as the equivalent of a company officer's signature (GOV.UK: Company authentication codes for online filing).

For software filing GOV.UK lists the company authentication code, a presenter account and, for documents that carry a fee, a credit account. Neither credential is the same as signing in to WebFiling with GOV.UK One Login.

Do you need a presenter ID to file your own accounts online?

On GOV.UK's instructions for Companies House's online service, no. They say you need a Companies House password and the company authentication code, and the directors must approve the accounts before you file them (GOV.UK: File your company's annual accounts with Companies House). That page does not mention a presenter ID.

Since 13 October 2025, signing in to WebFiling needs GOV.UK One Login (GOV.UK news story). From 1 April 2028, accounts can only be filed through commercial software (GOV.UK).

Do you need a presenter ID if you use accounting or filing software?

It depends on the software. GOV.UK says that to file company documents using software you need a company authentication code and a presenter account (GOV.UK: Using software to file your company's information). It does not say whose presenter account the software uses.

A provider may file under its own presenter account, as Taxley does, or may ask for your details. Check with the software provider before you buy, and ask which credentials it needs from you.

How do you apply for a presenter account?

You apply online on GOV.UK, and the page says it takes around 5 minutes. You sign in or create an account, give a name and correspondence address, and give the name or company number of the business you work for (GOV.UK: Apply to file with Companies House using software).

That online service is only for a presenter account to file documents that carry no filing fee, such as company accounts. For documents with a fee, such as a confirmation statement, you need a Companies House credit account, which has its own application. If you lose your presenter account details, you submit a new application and Companies House sends new ones.

Does a presenter account cost anything?

GOV.UK's application page lists no fee for applying for a presenter account, and Companies House's fees page lists no fee for filing a UK company's annual accounts (GOV.UK: Companies House fees). Neither page shows a charge.

Documents that do carry a fee, such as a confirmation statement, are charged when filed. Software providers may charge you for their own service, which is separate from anything Companies House charges.

Do you need a presenter ID to file with Taxley?

No. Taxley files the accounts at Companies House from the filing page through Companies House's software filing route, under Taxley's own presenter account. You do not apply for a presenter ID. You enter the company's 6-character authentication code, and you can save it on the company page first.

For eligible accounts Taxley prepares, the Companies House filing is included in the Taxley fee, with no separate charge; the pricing page lists the exceptions, such as uploaded accounts and community interest company accounts. If the code is lost, request a new one early, because it comes by post. How to file a CT600 and Companies House accounts with Taxley walks through the filing page, and our guide to filing company accounts online covers deadlines and rejections.

Frequently asked questions

Is a presenter ID the same as a GOV.UK One Login?

No. GOV.UK One Login is how you sign in to a Companies House WebFiling account, and has been required since 13 October 2025. A presenter ID belongs to a presenter account used to file through software. Neither is the company authentication code.

What if I lose my presenter account details?

Submit a new application. GOV.UK says Companies House will then send you new account details (GOV.UK). If you file through a provider that uses its own presenter account, you have no presenter details to lose and only need the company authentication code.

Will I need a presenter ID after 1 April 2028?

From 1 April 2028, all companies must file accounts using commercial software, whether they file themselves or use a professional (GOV.UK). Whether you need your own presenter account depends on the software. Our guide to software-only filing from April 2028 explains the change.

Where do I find the company authentication code?

Companies House posts it to the company's registered office, and it can take up to 10 working days to arrive (GOV.UK). You request it through a WebFiling account. If it is lost, request a new one well before the accounts deadline.

General information, not personalised accounting or tax advice. Rules checked on GOV.UK on 26 October 2026; you remain responsible for the accuracy of the accounts you file.