What Photo ID & Non-photo ID documents are acceptable?
Acceptable Photo ID & proof of address documents
Examples of valid photo ID:
- valid passport
- valid photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
- national identity card
- firearms certificate
- identity card issued by the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland
Examples of valid proof of address:
- utility bill
- bank, building society or credit union statement
- most recent mortgage statement
Acceptable Non-photo ID documents
If an individual legitimately does not have Photo ID you must examine the following two items:
- A Government-issued document (without a photo) which includes the person's full name and the person's address, for example an old-style driving licence or recent evidence of entitlement to state- or local authority-funded benefit such as housing benefit, council tax benefit, pension, tax credit.
- Secondary evidence of the person's address, not downloaded from the internet, for example a utility bill, bank, building society or credit union statement or a most recent mortgage statement.
Here are some useful links for recognising ID documents:
UK Government guidance on examining identity documents
Application registration card (ARC)
Authenticated documents
If the person holds identification they can provide you with copies of this which you must upload and retain on file. Such authentication must meet the following requirements to be acceptable:
- The photographic identification must be noted as above
- It must have been examined by a practising solicitor
- It must have the solicitor's official stamp on the copy
- It must state that the originals were examined and the document is a true copy
- It must state that the photograph was a true likeness
Note. Source 6.128. of the Anti-Money Laundering Supervision: Estate Agency and Letting Agency Businesses for examples of valid Photo ID