ID5

ID1 and ID5 Identity Verification for HM Land Registry

ID5 is an online service specialising in the identity verification required by HM Land Registry (the land registry for England and Wales). The company presents itself as the UK's leading provider of Land Registry compliant ID checks and operates exclusively via video call, with no in-person appointments. Its activity focuses on a single service: identity verification using the ID1 and ID5 forms, which are then completed and signed for submission to HM Land Registry.

How the service works

The process is carried out by video call via Zoom and takes approximately fifteen minutes. During the appointment, the verifier completes the ID1 and ID5 forms with the details entered by the client in the booking application, which allows same-day submission. The completed forms are sent to the client for approval minutes after the call ends, and no payment is taken until the forms are signed. The company states that all its verifiers are fully qualified solicitors, a requirement under the regulations to carry out online identity checks using the ID1/ID5 process.

Identification requirements

For verification, a photo ID document is required: a valid passport, a UK, EU, Isle of Man or Channel Islands photocard driving licence (provisional licences are not accepted) or a valid biometric residence permit issued by the UK Immigration Office. In addition, two proofs of address are requested, preferably bank statements, utility or council tax bills, or similar official correspondence addressed to the home. If the verification is for a property other than the usual residence, a document linking the applicant to that property is required, such as historic bills, purchase documents, mortgage statements or documents from an estate agent. The company does not accept multiple proofs of address in place of photo ID.

Context and usefulness of the service

HM Land Registry requires that the identity of those applying to register a transfer, lease, deed of variation, change of name, mortgage or discharge of mortgage be verified by a professional. When a solicitor is not involved, the applicant can download the forms and complete them, but the registry still requires identity verification. ID5 meets this need through a video call and the subsequent delivery of the ID1 and ID5 forms. The company notes that HM Land Registry has accepted online identity verification since March 2020 and that, on 21 November 2022, it confirmed that this method via video call with the ID1 and ID5 forms would be permanent.

Client profile

The service is aimed both at individuals handling their own land registry paperwork without a solicitor and at clients whose solicitor has asked them to obtain an ID1 check because they cannot verify it remotely or because they are formally acting for only one of the parties to the transaction. The company states that it has served thousands of clients and that its online fee is cheaper than that of most traditional solicitors. The price advertised on the site is £79 per person for online identity confirmation.

Forms and service delivery

ID5 completes the ID1 and ID5 forms, but does not offer the ID3 form, used by other authorised professionals such as doctors, dentists or MPs. The company justifies this limitation on the grounds that all its verifiers are qualified solicitors. The service is provided online, with hours from 9:00 to 21:00 Monday to Friday and also during the day at weekends. The site includes a guide on Land Registry compliant ID checks and resources on the ID1 forms.

Location and contact

Phone: 0330 390 4000 · Email: contact@id5.co.uk