Real ID FAQ
How does it work?
Real ID uses machine learning technology to identify the authenticity of your customer's IDs.
Your customers are sent a unique URL to their mobile device by email or SMS. This link opens a secure connection to allow the customer to upload a photo of their ID.
Once we receive the image, our combination of OCR (optical recognition technology) and image recognition will determine if the ID is legitimate.
What kind of ID documents can Real ID recognize?
Real ID supports dozens of ID documents from hundreds of different countries. Supported documents include:
- Driver's Licenses
- Passports
- Residence Cards
- Commerically and nationally issued Health Insurance Cards
- Concealed Carry Licenses
Please see our supported documents page for a full list of all documents that Real ID can instantly recognize.
Don't see the card or country you need to verify? Let us know. We'd be happy to help.
How can I tell when a customer has completed or failed ID verification?
Real ID will automatically leave tags on customers and orders during the ID verification process.
To learn more about which tags are left and when, read this article on customer and order tags.
I don't want Real ID to send any ID checks automatically, can I choose which orders have ID verification?
Yes, all triggers are completely optional.
If you prefer to manually send out ID checks, just open the New ID Check page and select or manually type in the customer and their order.
Why would I want my customer to submit a headshot with their ID photo?
Real ID gives you the choice to enable facial recognition scanning in addition to the ID document photo.
It's an option for higher risk transactions to protect against the possibility of using a phyiscally stolen ID. By requiring a headshot of the ID document owner with the ID document, we can verify the photos match.
For example, even if a bad actor had possession of a stolen credit card and matching license - they would not be able to trick face matching to identify them.
We use video liveness tests to verify that the photos are legitimate and not taken from social media or other online sources.
How are the uploading of IDs and photos secured?
Real ID encrypts the connection from your customers mobile devices. This protects their data from being intercepted by bad actors.
You don't have to think about compliance, Real ID stores your customer's securely in our database.
You're always in control over what data you'd like to keep. Delete your customer's ID or headshot photos at any time in the app.
How much does it cost?
We offer several different plans to meet your needs. See the pricing page for more details.
Can I get a refund on completed or in progress ID checks?
Once a customer has submitted at least one photo for the ID check, it becomes non-refundable.
This still applies if the customer's photos are deleted after they've been submitted in the app.
My customer says they can't open their ID check. What should I do?
We're happy to troubleshoot. Please contact us, or email us or chat with us in-app for support.
Can I delete my customers photos after they have been verified?
Protecting your customers privacy is very important to us. That's why we offer an option in any ID check to delete your customer's photos safely and permanently.
You can reassure your customers that their IDs will be wiped after they've verified their ID.
What kind of information can I see in the dashboard?
Real ID automatically reads the text on any given document. Depending on the level of detail the document provides you can expect to read data such as:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Address
- Age
- City
- State
- Issuing Country of the ID
- Issuing State of the ID
- Unique License or Document ID
Additionally you can use these pieces of information to verify that the customer is qualified for the purchase. Or that their billing & shipping information matches their ID.
Can I automatically require ID verification only on high risk orders?
Real ID offers a "sit and forget" customer verification process so you can require ID verification automatically on high risk orders.
You can enable rules to automatically trigger ID verification checks to your customers.
- Total Order Price - depending on the amount of the total price of the order, you can trigger an ID check.
- Mistmatching Shipping to Billing Address - if an order's shipping and billing address do not match, it's a sign of potential credit card fraud. Real ID can automatically verify these orders.
- High risk - if an order is detected as medium or high risk by Shopify or other 3rd party anti-fraud apps, trigger an ID verification check.
- And many more options. Learn more here.
At what point during verification am I charged for a check?
Checks are counted when they are created. Whether it be by a manual link sent my phone or SMS, or automatically by your configured rules.
This is because we deter fraudulent, underage or unqualified purchases even if the customer doesn't provide their ID. By showing your store is secured against fraud with an ID check link, you've mitigated your risk of a fraudulent chargeback or purchase.
It's our policy to not refund on checks that have already been sent regardless if the customer failed the ID check or failed to submit any documents.
If I turn on automatic ID checking, will repeat customers receive ID checks twice?
There's an additional setting in the dashboard that allows you to only require ID verification once from your repeat customers.
That way you can reduce friction even further and keep your trusted customers from having to do multiple ID checks.
I need to require my customer's signature for orders in addition to ID verification - can Real ID help?
Yes, easy & intuitive electronic signatures are available in Real ID. You can enable signature captures for ID verification checks. You'll be able to view and download your customers signatures right in the dashboard.
No code required to turn on or disable this feature.