The UK’s Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA) has opened a formal information gateway allowing certified private-sector identity providers to verify people against data held by the Passport Office, DVLA, and other government authorities — removing the need for individuals to photograph or upload physical documents during a digital identity check.
The gateway, established under Section 45 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, works on an explicit-consent model. When a user initiates an identity verification request with a registered Digital Verification Service provider, the provider queries the relevant government authority via API or digital credential. The authority returns a match result in real time rather than the provider relying on a static document scan. For mobile identity flows, this changes the proof model significantly: the credential source is the live government database rather than an image of a physical card that may be out of date or difficult to authenticate.
Public authorities that can share data through the gateway include the Passport Office, DVLA, benefits agencies, immigration services, and local councils responsible for services such as parking permits and Blue Badges. Participation is discretionary for each authority, which may also charge for data provision. Data is accurate at the time of the request, and authorities disclaim ongoing responsibility for maintaining accuracy after transmission.
Access is restricted to providers certified under the UK DVS trust framework and listed on the government’s official DVS register. Certification requires assessment by UKAS-accredited conformity bodies. Privacy rules require that data is shared only at the explicit request of the individual to whom it relates.
The gateway is not yet live. OfDIA is currently surveying registered DVS providers to understand demand for different data types and developing guidance for both providers and public authorities on how the gateway will operate. Full activation requires a Code of Practice to be approved by both Houses of Parliament, which OfDIA anticipates will happen later in 2026.
The gateway is one piece of a broader UK digital identity infrastructure being built out in parallel. The UK government has separately committed to building its own national digital ID app, which would function as a government-operated credential alongside the private-sector DVS ecosystem. Together, the app and the gateway represent the two sides of the UK’s emerging digital identity architecture: a government-issued credential and a government-data-backed verification channel for certified private providers.
For users, the practical implication of the gateway is that digital identity verification with a DVS provider will, once the gateway is active, be confirmable against the same authoritative data that underpins a passport or driving licence, without the user needing to present or photograph either document.
Sources: OfDIA, Computer Weekly
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By the Mobile ID World Editorial Team
