Preparing Your Venue for Digital Age Checks

The Government has confirmed plans to update Mandatory Licence Conditions (MLCs) under the Licensing Act 2003 to allow Digital Verification Services (DVS) to be used for age verification. This builds on the announcement made in 2024 and aims to make digital age checks safer and more reliable for licensed venues.

How Digital Verification Services Work

To ensure DVS can be relied upon safely, the Home Office is testing a series of conditions that digital information must meet:

1. Use of a Certified Provider

Digital information must come from a service listed on the statutory DVS register, meaning it is certified against the UK digital identity and attributes trust framework.

2. Bound to the Individual

The digital identity must be linked to the person presenting it, both at the time of issuance and when it is checked. This ensures the digital ID belongs to the individual using it.

3. Proper Validation by the Responsible Person

Unlike physical ID, visual inspection alone is not sufficient. The responsible person must be able to validate digital information reliably.

4. Confirmation of Age Policy Compliance

The digital ID must clearly confirm that the customer meets the age requirement set out in your premises’ policy, such as Challenge 21 or Challenge 25.

5. Sufficient Identity Assurance

The identity must be verified to at least a ‘medium’ confidence level, as defined in Good Practice Guide 45 (GPG45). Each provider’s ability to meet this standard is listed on the statutory DVS register.

What This Means for Venues

These updates will allow venues to use digital age verification safely while maintaining compliance with the Licensing Act. By adopting DVS, licensed premises can reduce reliance on physical ID checks, streamline entry processes, and protect both staff and customers.