Identity verification is becoming an increasingly important part of onboarding, compliance and fraud prevention in the UK.
In a sea full of deepfakes and deceptive AI generation, your business needs to know that an identity document is genuine, belongs to the person presenting it, and that the evidence produced by an identity checking process can be relied upon. This is especially important for regulated industries handling legal matters, financial transactions, property, employment or other high-risk services.
The UK digital verification services register gives businesses and individuals a way to check whether a digital verification service has been independently certified and registered under the UK government’s trust framework.
But what does being on the register actually mean, and what should you look for when selecting an identity verification provider?
What Is a digital verification service?
Many terms in this space tend to get misinterpreted. So let’s be clear: a digital verification service allows an individual to prove information about themselves electronically. This can include their identity, age, address or entitlement to complete a particular activity.
A typical digital identity verification journey asks a person to capture an accepted identity document, such as a passport or driving licence. The document is checked to determine whether it appears genuine, while a photograph (selfie) or video can be compared against the image contained within the document.
Biometric face matching and liveness technology can provide further assurance that a real person is completing the check, rather than someone using a photograph, recording, manipulated image, or stolen document.
Digital verification can therefore provide more than a digital copy of an identity document. A properly designed service produces a structured identity outcome and supporting evidence that can be reviewed, recorded and, when needed, shared with another relying party.
It can also reduce the amount of personal information someone needs to disclose. For example, a digital identity service could confirm that someone is over a required age without revealing their complete date of birth or other unnecessary information, which is not the case when you have to hand over your physical driving licence or passport.
What Is the digital verification services register?
The digital verification services register is different from the actual service. It is a public GOV.UK register of companies that are digital verification services certified against relevant government-backed rules and standards.
It allows people to confidently search for a provider. Users can also filter services by role, supplementary codes, and the version of the trust framework against which they have been certified.
Each service entry contains important information about the provider and the scope of its certification. This can include the provider’s trading name, registered service, certified role, identity profile, supplementary codes, conformity assessment body and certificate expiry date.
The register is therefore an important due diligence tool. It enables you to confirm that the particular service you intend to use is currently listed and that its certification covers the type of identity checking required.
It is important to check the service itself, rather than relying only on a provider’s general marketing claims. A business may offer several products, features or checks, but its certification may apply only to the particular service and scope shown on the register.
What Is the UK digital verification services register trust framework?
The UK digital verification services trust framework is a different term again, and it establishes rules and standards for trustworthy digital identity services.
It is designed to give greater confidence that certified services manage identity data securely and deliver reliable outcomes. Its requirements cover important areas such as privacy, data protection, fraud management, cyber security and inclusivity.
Earlier versions were known as the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework. The current terminology reflects the wider development of digital verification services and the government-backed register.
The UK digital verification services trust framework collection contains the current publications alongside a record of previous versions. An approved conformity assessment body can independently certify services against an eligible version of the framework.
The trust framework does not mean that every identity verification service operates in exactly the same way. Providers can offer different technologies, workflows, confidence levels and supporting checks. Instead, it provides a consistent set of requirements against which the registered service can be assessed.
What is the difference between certification and registration?
Certification and registration are closely connected, but they are not the same thing.
Certification means that a service has been independently assessed against the relevant requirements of the trust framework. An approved conformity assessment body undertakes the assessment rather than relying solely on the provider’s own claims.
Registration means that the certified service appears on the public digital verification services register with information about its provider, certification scope and validity.
For this reason, you should look for a service that is both independently certified and registered. Checking the register confirms the service name, the roles it is certified to perform, and whether the certificate remains current.
Phrases such as “government approved” are sometimes used informally when discussing digital identity providers. However, “certified and registered” is usually the more accurate description because it explains how the assurance has been established.
What information can businesses check on the register?
The register helps companies understand what each registered service has actually been certified to do.
A service entry can identify whether the service performs an identity, attribute, orchestration, holder or component role. These roles describe the part the service plays within a digital identity journey.
Identity services establish or verify an individual’s identity. Attribute services manage particular pieces of information connected to an identity. Orchestration services bring together different parts of a verification journey, while holder services enable people to store and use digital credentials. Components provide technology that supports another registered service.
The register can also show whether the service has been certified against supplementary codes for specific use cases. These currently include right to work, right to rent and disclosure and barring service checks.
Not every registered service is certified for every role or supplementary code. Match registration details to requirements rather than assuming any listed provider can support every type of check.
Why does DVS registration matter?
An identity check may look straightforward to the person completing it, but a significant amount of technology, data processing and risk assessment sits behind the result.
Businesses need to understand how an identity was established, what evidence was considered and how confident the provider is in the outcome. They may also need to demonstrate their decision-making to auditors, regulators, lenders or other relying parties.
Using a certified and registered service provides independent assurance that the service has been assessed against recognised requirements. It can support supplier due diligence and help compliance teams distinguish between services that make general identity-checking claims and those whose processes have been evaluated against the trust framework.
Registration can also help assess whether the service is suitable for a particular regulated process. This becomes more important when the identity outcome is being used to support customer due diligence, right to work, right to rent or another transaction carrying legal or financial risk.
OfDIA has described inclusion on the register as the clearest signal that a service is reliable and independently assured against the trust framework. Its guidance on digital verification and the money laundering regulations also highlights the increasing distinction between certified and non-certified identity services.
How can UK digital verification support AML compliance?
Identity verification is an essential part of customer due diligence for businesses regulated under the Money Laundering Regulations.
Guidance published in 2026 explains how certified and registered digital verification services operating in accordance with the trust framework can be treated as reliable and independent sources of identity verification for relevant checks on individual customers.
This is key for law firms, financial services providers and other regulated industries that need to establish who they are dealing with before entering a business relationship or completing a transaction.
However, using a registered service does not remove wider compliance responsibilities. The business must still assess the risks presented by the customer, matter or transaction and select a suitable level of identity assurance.
A strong digital verification process can support this decision by providing a clear identity outcome, supporting evidence and an audit trail. Additional information, such as address data, fraud indicators, PEP screening or sanctions checks, can then contribute to broader due diligence.
What is a GPG 45 level of confidence?
Certified and registered identity services must express their identity verification outcomes using the levels of confidence defined by Good Practice Guide 45, commonly known as GPG 45.
The available levels are low, medium, high and very high. They indicate how confident the service is that the individual is who they claim to be.
A regulated business must determine the appropriate level based on the risks associated with the customer and transaction. A relatively low-risk interaction may not require the same assurance as a high-value property transaction, a complex financial arrangement, or a matter carrying an elevated fraud risk.
This risk-based approach helps businesses select proportionate identity checking while ensuring that stronger checks are available where greater assurance is needed.
Are identity and attribute checks the same?
No, identity checks and attribute checks are not the same.
An identity verification establishes confidence that an individual is who they claim to be. An attribute is a particular piece of information associated with that person.
Attributes can include an address, age, professional status or the result of a PEP or sanctions search. These checks can be useful for customer due diligence, but they should be clearly distinguished from the core identity outcome.
A service may provide both identity verification and supporting information as part of the same customer journey. The results should still make it clear which evidence established the person’s identity and which findings relate to additional compliance or risk checks.
This helps compliance teams understand what has been verified, what remains subject to review and which elements fall within the registered service’s certification.
How to check whether a digital verification provider is registered
Now that you know the terms, how do you check the details? Businesses can search the digital verification services register using the provider’s name, registered service name or trust mark number.
Once you find the relevant entry, confirm that the provider and service names match the solution being offered. The entry should then be reviewed for the certified role, identity profile, trust framework version, supplementary codes and certificate expiry date.
It is also worth confirming whether the service relies on an underpinning or white-labelled provider. This helps understand who is responsible for the identity outcome and which part of the overall solution has been certified.
This check should not be limited to the beginning of the commercial relationship. Review registration and certification details periodically and whenever a contract, service, or compliance process changes.
How is the register changing?
The government is developing a machine-readable version of the digital verification services register
The current register works well if you occasionally need to search for a provider. However, manual searches are less practical where businesses and public authorities need to complete checks at scale.
OfDIA has been developing technology that will allow systems to check the register programmatically. Public key infrastructure will help confirm securely whether the service involved in a digital transaction is registered.
This will be useful where a public authority needs to confirm a provider’s status before sharing data, or where a retailer needs to check a digital proof of age at the point of sale.
The OfDIA update on secure and scalable register checks states that beta development began in summer 2026, with a minimum viable product expected in winter 2026.
The development only shows how registered digital verification services are expected to become a big part of faster, more connected identity journeys across the UK economy.
What should businesses look for in a digital verification provider?
Registration is an important starting point, but it should form part of a wider supplier assessment.
Businesses should consider whether the provider offers the appropriate identity profile and whether its registration covers the intended use. They should also assess how the service detects fraudulent or manipulated documents, verifies that the individual is genuinely present and manages cases that cannot be completed automatically.
The customer experience matters too. A secure service will deliver limited value if legitimate customers regularly abandon the process because it is confusing or unnecessarily complicated.
Integration should also be considered. Identity verification is only one part of a wider workflow involving customer onboarding, electronic signatures, document exchange, KYC, AML checks and ongoing monitoring. Connecting these processes can reduce manual input, duplication and the risk of information being stored across several disconnected systems.
Compliance teams should review the evidence and reports produced by the service. IT teams will need to consider APIs, information security and integration with existing platforms. Operations teams should understand how exceptions are managed, while decision-makers will want to consider scalability, support and the overall commercial model.
Is VSiD on the digital verification services register?
Yes. VSiD Verify Limited is listed on the digital verification services register.
At the time of publication, our service is currently recorded as QES ID Validate v1.2.5. The service is certified in the Identity role with a High H1A identity profile and supplementary codes for right to work and right to rent.
The entry identifies Kantara as the conformity assessment body and records a certificate issue date of 15 December 2025 and an expiry date of 15 December 2027.
These details can be viewed through VSiD’s official service entry on the digital verification services register.
This gives businesses a transparent way to check VSiD’s registered identity verification credentials and confirm the assurance level associated with the service.
How VSiD helps businesses verify the person behind a transaction
VSiD specialises in identity verification, electronic signatures, document exchange and digital onboarding for regulated and security-conscious companies.
Our technology is designed to help establish much more than whether an identity document looks correct. VSiD software verifies that the document belongs to the person presenting it and connects that verified individual to the wider transaction, document or signature.
During the verification journey, the individual can use a smartphone to capture their identity document and face. Biometric face matching, liveness checks, document authentication and anti-tamper technology help assess whether the document appears authentic and whether it matches the person completing the process. Suspected mismatches, spoofing attempts or manipulated evidence can then be flagged for further review.
Bringing verification, onboarding and eSignatures together
Rather than managing separate suppliers for document signing, identity checking, and KYC and AML processes, OneConnect can bring these activities together in a connected workflow. This creates a clear source of truth and can reduce duplicated checks and delays between different stages of the customer journey.
The platform can also integrate with existing practice management, case management, and document management systems through APIs and plug-ins, particularly for law firms and financial services that need completed documents, reports, and evidence returned to the appropriate matter or customer record.
Our software is buildable, meaning you can choose licence options based on the required workflow.
- SmartSign supports eSignatures and secure document exchange.
- SmartComply combines eSignatures with identity verification, compliant digital onboarding and biometric reverification.
- SmartConvey adds specialist functionality for property and conveyancing workflows, including eWitnessing and HM Land Registry SmartForms.
Why is biometric reverification important?
Identity risk does not necessarily end when the first onboarding check is completed.
A customer may return later to sign another document, authorise a payment, complete a transaction or make a high-risk change. Asking them to repeat the entire identity process can create unnecessary friction, while relying only on an email address, password or image of a signature may not provide sufficient assurance.
VSiD’s biometric reverification capabilities are designed to confirm that a returning individual remains connected to the identity established during the original process.
This can give you greater confidence at important points throughout the relationship. It can also help verify the person behind an eSignature, rather than treating the visible signature mark on a document as the only evidence of who signed it.
Reverifiable reports and certificates can provide supporting evidence for relying parties such as banks, insurers or other organisations involved in the transaction.
Is digital identity mandatory in the UK?
So why does this all matter? The UK government’s approach does not currently create a compulsory national digital identity system or require individuals to hold a digital identity card.
Instead, digital identity gives another way to establish and share trusted information. It can complement or replace physical document presentation in processes where digital verification is permitted and appropriate.
Requirements can vary by sector, transaction, and relevant legislation. You should therefore understand your own obligations and confirm that the chosen service is certified and registered for the intended purpose.
Does a registered DVS complete every compliance check?
No. A registered DVS can provide independently assured identity verification, but the business using it retains responsibility for its wider compliance decisions.
You must assess the customer’s risk, select an appropriate level of confidence and determine whether additional information is required. This might include address evidence, company information, beneficial ownership checks, PEP and sanctions screening or source-of-funds information.
VSiD OneConnect can bring several of these activities into one workflow, but you must still apply your own policies and professional judgement.
Choose identity verification designed for regulated workflows
If you need to improve client onboarding, consolidate several existing systems or introduce stronger assurance at important points in a transaction, our team can help you identify the right approach.
Contact VSiD to arrange a demonstration and discover how our technology could support your identity, compliance and document workflows.
This article was submitted by VSiD as part of an advertising agreement with Today’s Conveyancer. The views expressed in this article are those of the advertiser and not those of Today’s Conveyancer.
