Claude identity verification: what you need and what to do if it fails

Last updated: 2026-10-26 · Independent guide

Short answer: Claude identity verification is run by Anthropic's partner Persona. You need a physical, government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license or national ID) and a phone camera for a live selfie. Anthropic says it is rolling verification out for a few use cases, to prevent abuse, enforce its usage policies and meet legal obligations. If it fails you can retry or use the official help form; if your account is banned afterwards there is an official appeal form.

This guide only summarises Anthropic's official pages (checked on 2026-10-25). Where they are silent we say "the official pages don't specify". We don't publish any way around verification.

Why Claude asks you to verify your identity

From the help-center article Identity verification on Claude:

Purpose: to prevent abuse, enforce Anthropic's usage policies and comply with legal obligations.
Scope: identity and business verification is being rolled out "for a few use cases", not for everyone.
When: the prompt may appear when you access certain capabilities, as part of routine platform integrity checks, or as another safety and compliance measure.

The official pages don't list which features or accounts trigger it. The Privacy Policy also says that in certain circumstances Anthropic may ask you to verify your age or identity.

Identity verification (Persona) and age verification (Yoti) are separate processes. Age checks confirm a user is 18 or over; see Age assurance on Claude.

What you need

Item	Official requirement
Individuals	A physical, government-issued photo ID in your possession, and a phone with a camera (you may be asked for a live selfie)
Organizations	The above, plus the legal company name, address and business registration number
Accepted IDs	Passport; driver's license or state/provincial ID; national ID card. Must be government-issued, legible, undamaged, not expired and include a photo
Not accepted	Photocopies, screenshots, scans or photos of a photo; digital or mobile IDs; non-government IDs (student, employee or library cards, bank cards); temporary paper IDs

The official pages don't say whether the issuing country affects the result, or how long a check takes.

How the check works

Start from the verification prompt in Claude (the service is provided by Persona Identities).
Photograph your ID with your phone.
If asked, take a live selfie with your phone.
For an organization, enter the legal name, address and registration number.

Our advice: only start verification from a prompt inside Claude or an official email, and never send ID photos to anyone offering to "verify for you".

What happens to your ID and selfie

Anthropic is the data controller. Your ID and selfie images are held by Persona, not on Anthropic's systems; Anthropic can access the records through Persona when needed, for example to review an appeal.
Anthropic says it doesn't copy or store those images itself; all data passing through and to Persona is encrypted in transit and at rest.
Anthropic states it does not use identity data to train models, asks only for the minimum needed, and doesn't share it except where legally required to respond to valid legal process; it is never shared for marketing or advertising.
The Privacy Policy's "Verification Data" covers images of your ID and the information on it (such as ID number and date of birth), your photo or video, facial geometry templates that may be biometric data, and the verification result.

The official pages don't give a retention period.

If verification fails

Common reasons listed by Anthropic: a blurry photo, an unreadable document, an expired ID, an incorrect registration number, or a technical issue. The official advice:

Try again; multiple attempts are allowed.
Check that your ID is valid and the photo is clear and complete.
If it still fails, contact Anthropic through the identity verification help form.

The official pages don't say how many attempts you get or what happens after repeated failures.

If your account is banned after verification

The help center says accounts may be banned for several reasons, including repeated violations of the Usage Policy or Terms of Service. If you believe it was a mistake, submit the official account ban appeal form, or log in at claude.ai and appeal as described in Safeguards warnings and appeals. See our appeal guide and ban reasons. The official pages don't give a review time. If you were on a paid plan, see refund policy and refunds after a ban for whether a refund applies and who to ask.

Related cases from X

Public self-reports from X, unverified and summarised neutrally. They don't establish why an account was banned:

@bichistriver · 2026-10-21
Says two accounts were banned on the day they subscribed to Max (about $400 lost); one was banned while completing a “Cyber verification” requested by email, after verifying once before. Self-reported; the cause is not confirmed by Anthropic.
Original post on X

FAQ

Why is Claude asking me to verify my identity?

Anthropic says identity verification helps it prevent abuse, enforce its usage policies and comply with legal obligations. It is being rolled out for a few use cases, and the prompt may appear when you access certain capabilities, as part of routine platform integrity checks, or as another safety and compliance measure. Source: Identity verification on Claude.

Does every Claude user have to verify?

No. The official wording is that identity and business verification is being rolled out for a few use cases. The official pages don't list which features or accounts trigger it.

What ID do I need?

A physical, government-issued photo ID in your possession: a passport, driver's license, state or provincial ID, or national ID card. It must be legible, undamaged and not expired. You also need a phone with a camera for a live selfie. Organizations also need their legal name, address and business registration number.

Can I use a photocopy, screenshot or digital ID?

No. Photocopies, screenshots, scans, photos of a photo, digital or mobile IDs, non-government IDs (student, employee or library cards, bank cards) and temporary paper IDs are not accepted.

Does Anthropic keep a copy of my ID?

According to the help center, verification is run by Persona, and your ID and selfie images are held by Persona rather than on Anthropic's systems. Anthropic is the data controller and can access records through Persona when needed, for example to review an appeal. Anthropic doesn't copy or store the images itself, and data is encrypted in transit and at rest. The official pages don't state a retention period.

Is my verification data used to train models?

No. The help center says it is not used for training, only the minimum information needed is collected, and verification data stays between you, Anthropic and its fraud-prevention partners except where legally required to respond to valid legal process. It is never shared for marketing or advertising.

What if verification fails?

You can try again (multiple attempts are allowed), check that your ID is valid and the photo is clear, or contact Anthropic through the identity verification help form.

My account was banned after verification. What now?

The help center says accounts may be banned for several reasons, including repeated violations of the Usage Policy or Terms of Service. If you think it was a mistake, use the account ban appeal form. See also our appeal guide.

How long does verification or an appeal take?

The official pages don't specify a review time.

Can I verify with a relative's or friend's ID?

No. Verification asks for your own ID and a live selfie, and the Consumer Terms require correct, current and complete account information. We don't publish any way around verification.