Identity Verification Privacy Notice
For individuals asked by their accountant or solicitor to verify their identity through Certivus. Last updated: 7 July 2026
The short version
Your accountant or solicitor is legally required to check who you are. They use Certivus to run that check. We only use your information to complete the check they asked for, the result goes back to them, and the credit-file search involved is a soft search that never affects your credit score.
How the check works
Your firm starts the check
Your accountant or solicitor is required by UK anti-money-laundering law (the Money Laundering Regulations 2017) to verify the identity of their clients. They use Certivus to do this, and the page you land on always names the firm that requested the check.
You provide your details
Depending on the check, you may be asked for your name, date of birth and address, a photo of an identity document (passport or driving licence), and a short selfie video or photo so we can match your face to your document.
We verify them
Your details are checked using trusted verification partners — document authenticity checks, facial matching, and searches against official and commercial records, which can include UK credit reference agency records.
The result goes to your firm
The outcome is returned securely to the firm that requested the check, into their own private workspace. They keep it as part of their legal compliance records.
What we collect and why
- Identity details — name, date of birth, address: to confirm you are who you say you are.
- Identity documents — passport or driving licence images: to check the document is genuine.
- Biometric data — a selfie for facial matching, processed only with your explicit consent given during the journey.
- Database records — matches against official and commercial records, including UK credit reference agencies (a soft search only — see below). The credit reference agencies describe their own use of personal data in the Credit Reference Agency Information Notice (CRAIN) on their websites.
The legal basis is your firm's obligation to comply with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017; biometric matching additionally relies on your explicit consent. We never use your data for marketing, never sell it, and never run checks you haven't been told about.
Your questions, answered
Will this affect my credit score?
No. Identity checks run through Certivus are “soft searches”. A soft search leaves a record on your credit file that only you can see — lenders cannot see it, and it has no effect whatsoever on your credit score or your ability to borrow. On any such search, Certivus is identifiable as the organisation that ran the search on your firm’s behalf.
Who is responsible for my data?
The firm that asked you to complete the check (your accountant or solicitor) is the “data controller” — they decide why the check is needed and keep the result. Certivus provides the technology and passes the check to verification partners on the firm’s instructions. You can contact either the firm or us about your data.
Do I have to do the biometric (selfie) step?
The selfie step only runs with your explicit consent, which we ask for during the journey before anything is captured. If you prefer not to, tell your firm — they can usually verify your identity another way, though it may take longer.
How long is my data kept?
Your firm sets the retention period to meet its legal obligations — anti-money-laundering law requires firms to keep verification records for five years after their business relationship with you ends. Certivus holds the records on the firm’s behalf for that period and then deletes them.
What are my rights?
You have the right to access, correct, or (subject to the firm’s legal retention duties) delete your data, and to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk). Contact your firm first as the controller, or email our Data Protection Officer — we’ll help either way.
Who we are and how to reach us
Certivus Compliance Ltd — registered in England and Wales, Company No. 17319995
64 Yardley Green Road, Birmingham B9 5QE, United Kingdom
ICO registration: ZC189266
Data Protection Officer: Harveys Legal — dpo@harveyslegal.com
You can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113. Our full Privacy Policy has more detail, including our sub-processors.