UK pubs to accept digital ID for age assurance by Christmas 2026

The UK government has finally put its policy where its promises are on allowing digital ID for proof of age at pubs and licensed establishments.

A statement from Minister of State for Policing and Crime Sarah Jones says she is “laying a statutory instrument to deliver on our commitment to update the Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Licensing Conditions) Order 2010 (“the Order”) made under the Licensing Act 2003 (LA03).”

“This change will permit the use of certified and registered Digital Verification Services (DVS) for the sale and supply of alcohol in England and Wales, where certain conditions are met.”

Subject to Parliamentary procedure, the Government intends the Statutory Instrument to come into effect in Autumn 2026.

The change is scheduled to come roughly two years after former Technology Secretary Peter Kyle pledged that drinkers would be able to prove their age in a pub using digital ID by Christmas 2025. Should it come to pass across the retail sector, it will be a major relief for Ewen McGregor, a licensing lawyer at TLT LLP who has hosted a panel two years running at the Global Age Assurance Standards Summit, exploring the question of when, exactly, the UK government would make good on its pledge.

Change is a clear win for certified DVS Trust Framework providers

The mention of DVS providers will also hearten those firms certified UK DVS trust framework, who have been at odds with government of late over the status of the GOV.UK wallet app. Those wishing to use digital ID to buy a pint at the local will need to ensure it is “presented from a DVS that is certified against the UK DVS trust framework, appears on the statutory DVS register on GOV.UK, and meets certain conditions as specified in the Mandatory Licensing Conditions.”

Moreover, the measure respects user choice in terms of preferred method, in that “there will not be any requirement to use a specific source of identity evidence if using a DVS, and physical forms of identification will still be accepted.”

Indeed, certified DVS providers have already responded positively. In comments sent to Biometric Update, Philip Young, CTO and Co-Founder at Luciditi, calls the announcement “a landmark moment for retailers, hospitality venues and millions of consumers.”

“Allowing certified Digital Verification Services to be used as proof of age will make buying age‑restricted goods faster, safer and far more convenient,” he says. “It removes the need for customers to hand over physical documents, protects their privacy by disclosing no personal information, and significantly reduces flashpoints that lead to aggression or violence towards frontline staff.”

Luciditi maintains a partnership with fellow DVS provider Yoti to enable interoperability, so that credentials issued by one can be verified by the other. Since the scheme follows the same technical process as the forthcoming UK Digital Driving Licence, Young says “whether a customer presents a Luciditi Age Proof, Yoti ID, Post Office Easy ID, or their Digital Driving Licence, the experience for customers and retailers will be seamless and consistent.” (Post Office Easy ID is also a Yoti product.)

“After years of collaboration with the government, this is the moment digital proof of age begins its journey to a practical reality. It’s also a major win for OfDIA’s DVS Trust Framework, pushing everyday use of reusable digital ID into the mainstream.”

In its comments, Yoti says the change “recognizes that digital proof of age has become a trusted, secure and privacy-preserving way for people to prove their age when purchasing age-restricted goods.”

“We’ve been working towards this for years,” says Yoti CEO Robin Tombs, in a release. “When we started Yoti in 2014, young adults told us they wanted to use our app at the supermarket and on nights out. We’re excited this will soon become a reality.”

Yoti also offers an ID Checker app for licensed premises. Staff can scan a QR code that contains a binary proof of age and no other personal information.

Article Topics

age verification  |  digital verification service (DVS)  |  DVS Trust Framework  |  Luciditi  |  UK age verification  |  UK digital ID  |  Yoti