It’s WKD Blues all round. One of them looks about 17 and a half (the swine). Your bar staff do the Challenge 25 dance. Out comes the phone.
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Not for a frantic scroll through the camera roll looking for a blurry photo of a driving licence, but for a proper, Government-recognised digital proof of age. A quick scan or tap later and the blue nectar is secured.
No faffing with holograms under the UV light, no awkward “sorry mate, that looks like a photocopy of a photocopy,” no quick maths to work out how they are, and no forgotten passport while its owner nips to the loo. That future is almost here.
As of Tuesday 15 September, licensed premises in England and Wales can accept digital identification from certified Digital Verification Services (DVS) as proof of age when selling or supplying alcohol.
Fear ye not fans of Orwellian fiction; this is not compulsory. If your regulars still prefer the comforting weight of a plastic driving licence or the slightly crumpled majesty of a passport, that remains perfectly fine.
Physical documents with a photograph, date of birth and security features continue to be accepted exactly as before. Digital is simply an extra option and one which younger drinkers are likely to embrace wholeheartedly.
What actually counts as acceptable digital ID?
Not every app on a customer’s phone will do. Only services that appear on the official Digital Verification Services (DVS) register maintained by the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA) and certified against the UK Digital Verification Services trust framework are in play.
Think Yoti and Post Office EasyID as the early household names, though more providers are joining the register all the time.
The digital check must reach at least a “medium” level of confidence under the relevant Government standards (GPG45 for the identity nerds among us), confirm the person meets your age-verification policy, and be properly bound to the individual presenting it.
In practical terms, the responsible person behind the bar (or at the door) will need an agreement in place with a registered DVS provider. That provider then delivers confirmation the customer is old enough, without the staff member necessarily seeing a full name, address or exact date of birth.
Privacy is one of the big selling points: customers can prove they are over 18 without handing over the rest of their life story. Screenshots and photos of apps will not cut it – the system is designed to stop the classic ‘here’s a picture of my mate’s passport’ manoeuvre.
Age-estimation technology – the “looks at your face and guesses” approach – is not covered by these changes for alcohol sales. Only proper registered DVS will satisfy the mandatory conditions.
Why might this be good news for operators
Anyone who has worked a door or a bar on a student night knows that age checks can be a flashpoint. The customer who has left their wallet at home, the one who insists their older sibling’s ID is “basically the same,” the occasional aggressive reaction when you refuse service. A smooth digital option reduces the friction.
Staff spend less time squinting at faded holograms and more time actually serving. Queues move faster. And because the customer controls exactly what is shared, the whole exchange feels less confrontational.
For the customer who looks younger than they are (again… the swines), it removes the need to carry a passport or driving licence every time they fancy a pint.
For the rest of us who simply prefer not to risk losing our only form of photo ID in a busy pub, it is pure convenience (although like many of you reading this, my days of being ID’d are long gone!)
According to Yoti, more than eight million people in the UK have already downloaded one of the main digital ID apps. That number is only going one way.
From a compliance point of view, the change slots neatly into the existing mandatory conditions rather than inventing an entirely new regime. Your age-verification policy can simply be updated to permit digital ID where the statutory conditions are met.
Training will need a light refresh so staff know which apps are acceptable, how the check works, and what to do if the technology has a moment (because technology always has a moment).
Most DVS providers are already geared up to support licensed premises with straightforward processes; often a QR code scan or near-field communication tap similar to contactless payment.
A few practical tips while the clock ticks
First, check the DVS register on GOV.UK and keep an eye on that providers listed.
Second, decide whether you want to offer digital checks from day one or phase them in. There is no obligation to adopt them, but venues that do may find themselves with a small competitive edge among younger customers.
Third, update your staff handbook and any Challenge 25 posters so everyone is clear that digital is an option alongside the traditional documents.
Fourth, speak to your usual licensing solicitor or local authority licensing team if you have any local conditions that might interact with the new national rules; most will not, but it never hurts to check.
And finally, prepare for the inevitable early teething problems. There will be a period where some staff are more confident with the new system than others, and where the occasional customer presents something that looks digital but is not on the register.
A calm “sorry, we can only accept the registered ones at the moment… driving licence is fine though” will cover most situations.
The bigger picture
This is one of those rare regulatory changes that feels like it is catching up with how people actually live rather than inventing new hurdles.
The Licensing Act 2003 has always required premises to have a robust age-verification policy. Until now that policy has been firmly rooted in the physical world of holograms and watermarks.
By allowing certified digital alternatives, the Government is acknowledging that a smartphone can, in the right circumstances, be just as reliable, and often more convenient, than a piece of plastic.
It will not solve every age-related challenge. Test purchases will continue. The need for well-trained, confident staff remains as important as ever. And there will always be the customer who somehow manages to leave both their phone and their wallet at home.
But for the majority of interactions, the arrival of digital proof of age should make life a little smoother for everyone involved.
So now the order has landed, raise a glass, preferably after a seamless digital check, to a small but welcome piece of modernisation.
The days of the full passport inspection for a half of lager may not be over, but they are about to become a lot less frequent. And that, in the world of licensed hospitality, is something worth celebrating.
- Joe Harvey is an associate solicitor at Poppleston Allen
