Liveness Checks
Implement liveness checks for identity verification during employer onboarding to enhance security.
Starting 2026, Check is introducing a new layer of identity verification - liveness checks (or “IDV”) - as part of employer onboarding. This step is embedded directly into the Filing Authorization component partners already render in the onboarding flow.
This article explains where the step appears, what users experience, how retries and failures are handled, and how to support employers who have questions or difficulty completing the process.
Where This Step Appears
The identity verification (”IDV”) step appears as the first screen inside the Filing Authorization component. Because this component is already included in the previously-required onboarding flow, no engineering work is required by partners during rollout. Once an employer verification in the step is successfully completed, the employer proceeds directly to the e-signing portion of Filing Authorization. Verification status is saved permanently, and only one individual - the signatory - is required to complete a verification per company.
What Employers Experience
The process is fully browser-based and typically takes less than 3 minutes for users to complete.
Employers are asked to:
- Upload the front and back of a valid US government-issued photo ID.
- Take a live facial photo using their device camera.
During both steps, users receive real-time guidance to help them position their ID and face, and feedback if lighting or camera quality prevents an incorrect capture.
As part of the flow, the step evaluates:
- Whether the U.S.-issued ID is authentic.
- Whether the person taking the facial photo matches individual in the ID.
Results are processed immediately (within 20 seconds) in most cases.
Device Flexibility
Employers can complete the flow on desktop or mobile.
If they start on one device and prefer another, they can switch using:
- A QR code
- An email link
No app download is required. The experience works in any modern browser, and progress is maintained across device switches and brief interruptions.
Note: Users will need to grant “camera” permissions on the browser they are using to complete the flow. If permissions have not already been granted on the device they’re using, they will be prompt by their browser app to allow them. If users report issues in their camera not allowing captures as part of the flow, a common solution is prompting them to restart their browser and ensure that camera access is granted when retrying the flow.
Retry Experience
The system is purposefully designed to help legitimate employers succeed in completely the flow quickly and easily. If a captured image does not meet quality requirements, the user will see clear and immediate instructions such as:
- ID too blurry
- Glare detected
- Face not fully visible
Employers can retry up to 5 times per capture type (ID or selfie). The system is tolerant of common issues such as:
- Poor lighting
- Lower-quality cameras
- Minor connectivity interruptions
Configuration is intentionally tuned to reduce friction for users who are clearly acting in good faith.
Possible Outcomes
Within 20 seconds of completing the required capture steps, users will receive a final verification result on the same screen. Messaging is displayed on the screen prompting the user to wait for the result.
Passed ✅
The employer proceeds seamlessly to Filing Authorization e-signing with no additional action required. If they have completed IDV on a different device than they started, they are notified to return to their original device. After receiving a passed result, the user can return to the onboarding flow at any point and will not be required to complete IDV again.
Declined (Fraud Signals) ❌
A declined result will be generated if the system detects:
- A mismatched identity
- A fraudulent or altered ID
- Other high-risk indicators
At this point, the employer is denied and cannot proceed with onboarding. The Check Risk team reviews all Declined results within 2 business days to ensure the legitimacy of the result. After confirming in review, Check assumes fraud risk and enforces the denial.
Fail - Edge Cases
To prevent legitimate employers from being incorrectly blocked:
- All “Declined” verification results are reviewed by Check’s Risk team within 2 business days.
- If a legitimate attempt was incorrectly denied, verification is reset.
- Partners are notified so they can prompt the employer to re-engage.
Timeouts
Verification sessions expire 24 hours after they are started if they are not submitted. If a user sees a timeout or expired session message, they are revisiting an old verification URL.
Instead, instruct them to:
- Return to the Filing Authorization component in their onboarding flow
- Reopen the verification flow from there
Reopening verification from the Filing Authorization component will automatically create a new inquiry session. Any partially completed information from the previous session will be lost, but the user can immediately restart the process and repeat it as needed. No manual review or operator action is required to reset sessions in these cases.
Escalations and Manual Review
If an employer is technically unable to complete the liveness check - for example due to camera limitations or accessibility constraints - partners may request a manual review from Check’s Risk team by submitting a Zendesk ticket with the category “Go-live Blocker”
Manual reviews:
- Follow standard support SLAs.
- May require additional documentation from the employer.
- Are handled directly by Check’s Risk Operations team.
Suggested Messaging for Your Support Team
You may incorporate language like the following in your help center or support responses.
If Employers Ask Why This Is Required
If Employers Are Hesitant
If Employers Are Stuck
Last updated on February 12, 2026