Where can I find my company authentication code?

The company authentication code (also known as the Companies House authentication code) is a unique 6-digit alphanumeric code that a limited company can use to make online changes and online filings with Companies House. Essentially, it’s the online equivalent of a company director’s signature.

Having access to your company’s authentication code is important. Without it, a company is restricted to paper filing methods, which take time to prepare (and get accepted) and generally result in more errors. In this article, we look at where you can find your company authentication code, how to recover it, and how to change it.  

Finding the company authentication code as a Rapid Formations customer

The process for finding your company authentication code will depend on the method you used to form your company. If you are a Rapid Formations customer and formed your company with us, locating the code is quick and simple. However, if you formed your company directly with Companies House, whilst the process is simple, it isn’t quite as quick. 

When your company was registered, we emailed you some key company information. This email included your company authentication code, which is provided in a PDF attachment. You should be able to find the email in your inbox by searching for ‘‘Rapid Formations: Order Ref’.

Don’t worry if you can’t locate the email. You will also find the company authentication code in your Online Client Portal. To access this and locate your code:

1. Log in to the Online Client Portal
2. Select ‘My Companies’
3. Click on your company name
4. You will find your company authentication code in the ‘Company Overview’ section next to ‘Auth. code’

Finding the company authentication code if you formed your company with Companies House

Companies House does not automatically send out the company authentication code. Instead, you have to request it. To do this:

1. Set up a Companies House WebFiling account (or log in if you already have an account)
2. Select ‘WebFiling’
3. Enter your company registration number, select your company’s correct jurisdiction (England or Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland), then select ‘Continue’
4. Confirm the company information that’s presented to you by selecting ‘Confirm and continue’
5. You will be asked to enter the company authentication code instead select ‘Help with authentication code’
6. Select ‘Request an authentication code’
7. Select either ‘Send the authentication code to the registered office address’ or ‘Send the authentication code to my home address’

Authentication code recovery

It is crucial to look after your company authentication code. You should treat it like a bank card PIN and never write it down or share it with anyone unless they are authorised to file and change your company information.

If you’ve misplaced or forgotten your code, don’t worry—it’s possible to retrieve it. Simply follow the seven steps above to request a reminder from Companies House, which will be posted to your preferred address.

Alternatively, log in to your Rapid Formations account or contact us by email or phone if you need assistance.

Timeframe for recovery

If you request your company authentication code reminder from Companies House, it will arrive by post at your chosen address within approximately five days. Otherwise, you’ll find it immediately in your Rapid Formations Online Client Portal.

Remember, if you have filing deadlines approaching, don’t leave your authentication code recovery to the last minute. Plan well ahead to avoid delays and potential late filing penalties.

Changing your company authentication code

The company authentication code is generated randomly, which can make it tricky to remember. If you prefer, you can change your code to something more memorable by following these steps:

1. Set up a Companies House WebFiling account (or log in if you already have an account)
2. Select ‘WebfFiling’
3. Enter your company registration number, select the correct jurisdiction for your company (England or Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland), then select ‘Continue’
4. Confirm the company information that’s presented to you by selecting ‘Confirm and continue’
5. Enter your authentication code in the space provided, then select ‘Continue’
6. If you want to store your company details on your WebFiling account (so you don’t need to keep entering your authentication code), you can do so now. Otherwise, simply select ‘No’ and then ‘Continue’
7. Select ‘Company authentication’ on the left-hand side
8. Enter the current code, enter your new code twice, then select ‘Change code’ – the code will be updated.

Please note: Changing the code to something obvious could pose a security threat to your company. If a fraudster were to correctly guess your code, they could resign your directors, appoint their own directors, change the registered office address, add news shares to the company, and make other potentially damaging changes. 

See also: How do I get my company’s unique tax reference? See also: What is a company registration number? See also: How to use your Rapid Formations Online Client Portal

We recommend using a random code that you can memorise and not using a code that consists of important dates, words, or names.

If you suspect that your code has been guessed correctly or fallen into the wrong hands, contact Companies House immediately.

Update your company authentication code on your Online Client Portal

If you are a Rapid Formations customer and have chosen to change your code, be sure to update it on the Online Client Manager, too. Otherwise, you will not be able to use the portal to make online changes and online filings. To do this:

1. Log in to the Online Client Portal
2. Select ‘My Companies’
3. Click on your company name
4. Select ‘Edit’ next to ‘Auth. code’
5. Enter the new code and select ‘Save’ – it will then be updated on the system

This method should only be used to update the code after it has already been changed through Companies House WebFiling. 

Example of the Companies House authentication code

As a reminder, Companies House issues all company authentication codes upon incorporation. The code is six characters long (a mixture of numbers and letters) and authorises your company’s online filings. It looks something like this: AB123C.

Thanks for reading

So there you have it, how to find your company authentication code. Our top three tips are:

1. Your code is your company’s online signature, so it’s essential to keep it safe and secure at all times
2. The quickest way to recover your code is via your Rapid Formations account
3. If you’re not a Rapid Formations customer, allow yourself plenty of time to request a code reminder from Companies House

We hope you have found this article useful. Please leave a comment if you have any questions or visit the Rapid Formations blogs for more compliance and business advice.