For people being verified
How to get verified with ProofAge
A business asked you to verify your age or your identity, and it uses ProofAge to do it. Below: the steps, what to do if something goes wrong, what happens to your data, and who to contact.
The verification steps
Questions about verifying
Which documents are supported for verification?
ProofAge accepts official identity documents from 190+ countries.
Currently accepted documents include:
- Passports
- National ID cards
- Driver's licenses
- Residence permits
You cannot use school IDs, birth certificates, library cards, or any other membership cards.
What happens if your verification is rejected?
If your verification is unsuccessful, you'll receive guidance on how to complete the process correctly. Common issues include:
- Blurry or unreadable ID photos: Try retaking them with better lighting.
- Document doesn't match your details: Ensure you're using an official, valid ID.
- Selfie verification failed: Remove any accessories, ensure your face is well-lit, and follow on-screen instructions carefully.
- Expired or unsupported document: Check if your document is listed as supported.
What to do next? Follow the instructions in the message and try again, try a different supported document, or contact the business that asked you to verify for further help.
How long does the verification take?
End to end, including the time you spend taking photos, 95% of age checks from a selfie finish in under 9 seconds, and 95% of identity checks with a document in under 19 seconds.
Can I complete verification on a mobile device?
Yes. You can use your phone's camera to scan your ID and take a selfie. No app download is required.
Can I use a document that isn't in English?
Yes. ProofAge accepts ID documents from 190+ countries, in many languages.
Why does ProofAge need access to my camera?
You need to use the camera on your device to take photos of your document and a selfie. ProofAge cannot verify your identity without these photos. Camera access is only used during the verification process and can be revoked in your browser or device settings afterwards.
What if my camera does not focus on the document?
If you are using a mobile device, tapping the screen where the document image is usually helps. Here are a few additional tips:
- Make sure the light is coming from behind the camera
- Use a contrasting background — darker background for light documents and vice versa
- Take the picture from further away to help the camera focus, then crop if needed
- Switch cameras — your back camera usually takes better photos, but the front camera may work better in some situations
Is it safe to verify my identity this way?
Yes. Your photos and data are encrypted in transit and at rest (TLS 1.2+, AES-256), kept only for the periods described below, and never sold.
The business decides, ProofAge processes
The business that asked you to verify is the data controller: it decides why your data is processed and which check to use. ProofAge processes your data on its behalf, as its data processor. Your data is shared with that business and with our subprocessors, listed in our Data Processing Agreement. It is never sold.
How long your data is kept
In Private mode, your photos and video are deleted right after the decision. In Protected mode, used by platforms that need to keep banned users out, photos, video and verification data are kept for 30 days, and a face template and a device fingerprint hash for 12 months. The business chooses the mode.
Encrypted in transit and at rest
Your data is encrypted with TLS 1.2+ while it is transferred and AES-256 while it is stored. It is hosted in Google Cloud EU regions by default.
Who can access it
Inside ProofAge, access is limited to the people who need it, with two-factor authentication or passkeys. Daily backups are encrypted and kept for 7 days. Read our Privacy Policy and the Security page for details.
Who to contact. Start with the business that asked you to verify: as the data controller, it answers requests about your data, and its privacy policy explains how it uses the result. For questions about how ProofAge processes your data on its behalf, write to privacy@proofage.net.
Your data: questions
How are my identity documents used?
Your ID documents are used to verify your identity and your age to ensure that you are a legitimate user on the platform you are trying to access.
What personal data does ProofAge collect?
It depends on the service features offered to the business enabling identity verification for you. The main categories of personal data we process on behalf of the business are: information extracted from the submitted identification document (such as date of birth), photos and video of the verification process, facial biometric data extracted from the submitted photos, and technical device data. For more detailed information, please see the business's privacy documentation.
How long will ProofAge keep my data?
It depends on the mode the business chose. In Private mode, your photos and video are deleted right after the decision. In Protected mode, which platforms use to keep banned users out, photos, video and verification data are kept for 30 days, and a face template and a device fingerprint hash for 12 months. Consent records are kept as long as the law requires. At the end of each period, the data is deleted.
Who has access to my data?
The business that asked you to verify (the data controller), ProofAge as its data processor, and our subprocessors, which are listed in our Data Processing Agreement. Some subprocessors are outside the EU; those transfers are covered by the EU standard contractual clauses and the UK Addendum. Your data is never sold.
Where is my data stored?
In Google Cloud EU regions by default, or in the US if the business asked for it. Certified liveness checks run on AWS in an EU region. Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and it is never sold.
Where can I get more information about how my data is processed?
Contact the business that asked you to verify first: it is the data controller and decides how your data is used. For questions about how ProofAge processes your data on its behalf, write to privacy@proofage.net. You can also read our Privacy Policy.
Need more help verifying yourself?
Contact the business that asked you to verify first: it runs your verification and can see its result. For questions about how ProofAge handles your data, write to privacy@proofage.net. The Support Center has more guidance.