By: Money Navigator Research Team
Last Reviewed: 06/02/2026
FACT CHECKED
Quick Summary
Opening a Tide business account is typically a staged process: you start the application, provide business details, complete identity checks, and (sometimes) upload supporting documents before the account is approved and fully usable.
The “why” behind each stage is mainly compliance (identity and business verification) plus operational checks to set up the account correctly and safely.
This article is educational and not financial advice.
How Tide describes getting your business account setup
On Tide’s business current account page, Tide presents onboarding as three broad steps:
- Start in the app
- Provide details and verify identity
- Then the account can be approved and the card dispatched. See Open a business bank account online.
In practice, onboarding timeframes and steps can vary because business accounts are not one-size-fits-all. The more complex the business structure, ownership, or activity pattern, the more likely it is that extra checks (or extra documents) are requested before approval.
Stage 1: Basic eligibility and account “shape” (what you’re opening)
What happens: The application flow typically establishes the basics: business type (for example, sole trader vs limited company), key people involved, and whether the account is intended for day-to-day trading.
Why it happens: The provider needs enough information to (a) create the right account profile and (b) apply the right verification approach for that type of customer and structure.
Practical impact: The earliest questions can affect what happens later (for example, whether extra business evidence is requested, or whether additional people need to be verified).
Stage 2: Company and business details (what the business is)
What happens: The application collects business identifiers and operational context. For UK limited companies, many providers also cross-check public company information as part of verification.
To see what public company information looks like (and what a provider can compare against), you can view the Companies House register via Find and update company information.
Why it happens: Business verification reduces impersonation risk and helps confirm that the organisation exists and is represented by the people applying.
Practical impact: Mismatches (names, addresses, roles, ownership, trading status) can trigger follow-up questions or document requests, and can slow approvals.
Stage 3: Identity checks (who is behind the application)
What happens: Applicants are commonly asked to verify identity using photo ID and sometimes a live selfie-style check. Tide has a dedicated help article describing what ID it can verify. See What ID will I need to open a bank account with Tide?.
Why it happens: Identity verification is a core control used across regulated financial services to reduce fraud and to meet anti-money laundering expectations.
Practical impact: If the electronic or document-based identity check cannot be completed automatically (for example, poor image quality or mismatched details), the process can move into a “manual review” style step, usually meaning more time and/or more evidence.
Stage 4: Address and supporting documents (when “extra proof” is needed)
What happens: Some applications require proof of address and/or other supporting documents (proof of business, proof of identity, etc.). Tide’s guidance covers both proof of address triggers and supporting document types in its help content, including I’ve been asked to supply Proof of Address and How to provide your supporting documents.
Why it happens: Where automated checks are insufficient (or where risk signals require more certainty), providers request documentary evidence to confirm identity, address, and business legitimacy.
Practical impact: Document requests are usually the biggest driver of “why is this taking longer than expected?”. The outcome often hinges on whether documents are current, readable, and consistent with the application details.
Stage 5: Checks that may appear on a credit file (without being “a credit check”)
What happens: Tide states that it performs electronic checks to verify identity and comply with anti-money laundering requirements, and notes these checks do not impact credit score but can appear on a credit report. See Do you carry out credit checks?.
Why it happens: Some verification processes use third-party data sources that leave a footprint similar to other searches on a credit file.
Practical impact: It can look like a “credit search” even when the stated purpose is identity/compliance verification rather than lending assessment.
Stage 6: Approval, account availability, and card dispatch
What happens: Once checks are complete, the account can be approved and made available. Tide’s help content notes that setup can be quick for many members, but can take longer depending on complexity. See How long does it take to open a limited company bank account?.
Why it happens: Final approval typically means the provider is satisfied it can establish and maintain the relationship within its regulatory and risk controls.
Practical impact: “Approved” is the point where day-to-day usage usually becomes straightforward, but it does not necessarily mean checks will never happen again (see the post-opening section below).
Summary Table
| Scenario | Outcome | Practical impact |
|---|---|---|
| Identity check completes cleanly | Application progresses without extra steps | Fastest path to approval |
| Automated checks can’t verify an address | Proof of address requested | Adds a document step and review time |
| Business structure is more complex | Additional questions or evidence requested | More back-and-forth before approval |
| Details don’t match public records | Manual review likely | Slower decisions until clarified |
| Supporting documents are unclear or outdated | Re-submission requested | Delays while correct evidence is gathered |
| High-risk indicators in activity/sector signals | Application may be declined | Outcome can change even if ID is valid |
Scenario Table
| Scenario-level | Process-level | Outcome-level |
|---|---|---|
| “Who are you?” | Identity verification (ID document validation; consistency checks) | Verified person(s) attached to the account profile |
| “Where are you based?” | Address corroboration (electronic match or documentary proof) | Address accepted, or proof requested |
| “What is the business?” | Business verification (public record comparison; business evidence) | Business profile confirmed, or extra evidence requested |
| “Who owns/controls it?” | Role/ownership checks (directors/owners/authorised users) | Correct people verified, or onboarding cannot complete |
| “Does the risk fit?” | Risk-based onboarding decision | Account approved, delayed for review, or declined |
| “Can we maintain the relationship?” | Ongoing monitoring readiness (expected activity signals) | Less friction later if activity matches expectations |
Tide Business Bank Account
Tide’s product positioning and plan structure can influence what features you see immediately after onboarding (for example, transfers, cards, or add-ons), but the onboarding stages above are primarily about verification and approval rather than plan selection.
For a neutral overview of Tide in our cluster, see Tide business bank accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tide’s public onboarding messaging emphasises starting the process digitally. On its product page, Tide describes a simple start-to-finish flow beginning with the app. See Open a business bank account online.
In practice, even “digital-first” onboarding can include steps that feel offline (for example, gathering documents, waiting for review, responding to queries). The channel may be digital, but the review process can still be staged.
A limited company application commonly requires enough information to identify the company and the individuals acting for it. Where providers compare details to public information, the Companies House register is a key reference point. See Find and update company information.
If application details diverge from public filings (addresses, names, roles), that doesn’t automatically mean rejection – but it often means clarification steps, which can slow approvals.
Tide describes acceptable ID categories in its help content. See What ID will I need to open a bank account with Tide?.
The practical edge case is that “acceptable in principle” does not always mean “verifies instantly” in every situation. Image quality, name matching, and document validity can still be decisive in whether verification completes automatically.
Proof of address is typically requested when an electronic match cannot be completed to the provider’s satisfaction. Tide addresses this scenario directly in its help article: I’ve been asked to supply Proof of Address.
Even when proof is supplied, delays can occur if documents are outside permitted time windows, do not show the required details clearly, or do not match the application’s address format.
Supporting documents generally mean evidence that helps confirm identity, address, and/or the reality of the business relationship. Tide provides an overview of document categories and examples here: How to provide your supporting documents.
Not every applicant will be asked for the same set of documents. Requests are often triggered by what could not be verified electronically, or by business characteristics that require additional comfort before approval.
Tide states it does not carry out credit checks for opening a current account, but it does perform electronic checks for identity and compliance, and these may appear on a credit report. See Do you carry out credit checks?.
The important nuance is that a “footprint” on a credit file can be created by different types of searches. Seeing an entry does not automatically mean a lending decision was made; it can reflect verification processes.
Tide states that many members have their account set up quickly, but also notes the process can take up to a few days depending on business complexity. See How long does it take to open a limited company bank account?.
Delays are commonly driven by additional verification steps: document requests, manual review, and clarifying inconsistencies. For a non-Tide-specific breakdown of delay drivers, see our wider guide on why business bank account applications get delayed.
A delay usually indicates that verification is incomplete or under review, whereas a rejection typically means the provider cannot onboard the relationship under its risk controls at that time. Our general guides cover the usual drivers at a high level: why applications get delayed and why applications get rejected.
A key edge case is that providers may be unable to share detailed reasons in some situations. That can feel opaque, but it is not unusual in regulated onboarding contexts.
After approval, an account is typically usable for receiving and making payments, subject to the provider’s terms and any remaining onboarding constraints. In day-to-day operations, one common admin task is providing account details to third parties (for example, a supplier onboarding form).
Tide provides a specific guide on generating an account verification letter here: How to download your Account Verification Letter (AVL). The edge case is that third parties may still ask for additional evidence beyond an AVL, depending on their own compliance rules.
Yes. Many providers perform ongoing monitoring and periodic re-checks, and may request refreshed evidence if circumstances change (ownership, activity level, sector, or unusual patterns). For the general mechanism, see periodic KYC refreshes and why accounts get rechecked.
Where Tide-specific evidence requests are involved, this can resemble a “compliance review” style request cycle. For what those requests can look like, see Tide compliance review documents: what’s requested and why it repeats and the wider context in bank compliance reviews explained.
Account opening is best understood as a sequence of confidence-building steps rather than a single “application”.
The provider is trying to answer a small set of questions with high certainty:
- The applicant’s identity
- The business’s reality
- Who controls it
- Whether expected account activity is compatible with the provider’s obligations and risk appetite
When those answers are available from electronic checks, onboarding can feel almost instant; when they are not, the process naturally becomes document-led and review-led.
A practical way to reduce confusion is to separate setup steps (creating the account profile and credentials) from verification steps (proof that people and entities are real and appropriately linked).
The two often happen in the same flow, but they can complete at different speeds, and verification requirements can reappear later if facts change or monitoring triggers demand refreshed evidence.
Sources & References
What ID will I need to open a bank account with Tide? | Tide Business
How long does it take to open a limited company bank account? | Tide Business
How to download your Account Verification Letter (AVL) | Tide Business
Your responsibilities under money laundering supervision | GOV.UK
Payment Services and Electronic Money – Our Approach (December 2018) | FCA (PDF)
Search the register | Find and update company information | Companies House
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