Identity Verification Failed? Here's What to Do

The short answer: identity verification fails for one of four reasons — data mismatch, camera capture, unsupported ID, or the KBA quiz. Diagnose which, then apply the matching fix or fallback below.

Nothing about a failed verification attempt is permanent. Your account is not locked, no document was notarized, and no fee is charged for a failed attempt. This article walks you through diagnosing which of the four failure types you hit, applying the matching fix, and using a fallback path if the standard fix doesn’t work.

The four failure types — find yours

Identity verification failures fall into four categories. Match the description you’re seeing to the row below, then jump to that section for the fix.

1. Your name, date of birth, or address doesn’t match your ID

If the system says your information doesn’t match, the fix is to enter your details exactly as they appear on the government-issued ID you’re going to upload.

Check each field:

• Full legal name: include middle names and suffixes exactly as printed on your ID. “Joseph” is not the same as “Joe.” “Smith Jr.” is not the same as “Smith.”
• Date of birth: use MM-DD-YYYY format (example: 06-14-1985).
• Address: use the exact address on your ID, not your current mailing address. Even the same physical location listed under different city names (like “Beverly Hills” vs. “Los Angeles”) is treated as a mismatch.

If your name recently changed (marriage, divorce, court order), try your former legal name — records used for verification may not have updated yet. Same for a recent address change; try the previous address on file.

If the details are correct and it still fails, jump to the fallbacks section.

2. The camera can’t capture your ID clearly

If the camera won’t start, or your ID photos are getting rejected as blurry or unreadable, the fix is a combination of device permissions and photo technique.

If the camera won’t start at all:

• iPhone using Chrome: switch to Safari. Chrome on iOS frequently blocks camera capture during verification. Copy the meeting link, paste it in Safari, and continue there.
• iPhone using Safari: tap AA in the address bar → Website Settings → set Camera and Microphone to Allow, then reload the page.
• Android using Chrome: Settings → Apps → Chrome → Permissions → Camera → Allow while using the app. Do the same for Microphone. Reload the page.
• Computer: when the browser prompts for camera access, click Allow. If you already denied it, click the lock or camera icon in the address bar and change camera/microphone to Allow, then reload.
• Close any other apps that may be using the camera (Zoom, FaceTime, Teams).

If the camera works but photos get rejected:

• Use bright, even light with no glare on the ID. Avoid overhead lights that reflect off the ID.
• Place the ID on a solid dark background so the camera can find the edges.
• Make sure all four corners of the ID are visible in the frame.
• Keep the ID flat — a curled or angled ID can look distorted to the system.
• For passports, capture the photo page (the one with your name and picture), not the cover. The machine-readable zone at the bottom (two lines of chevrons) must be clearly visible.

3. Your ID isn’t accepted or can’t be read

If your ID is a physical government-issued card but the system still rejects it, the ID itself may not meet requirements or may be damaged.

Your primary ID must be:

• Physical: a real card in your hand. Paper printouts, temporary DMV documents, and mobile ID apps cannot be used as a primary ID.
• Unexpired: the expiration date must be in the future.
• Government-issued: driver’s license, state ID card, US passport, US passport card, or permanent resident card.
• Readable: the photo and text must be clear, and if the ID has a barcode on the back, it must not be worn or damaged.

See Acceptable Forms of ID for Online Notarization for the complete list of accepted IDs.

4. You can’t complete the identity quiz (KBA)

The Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) quiz asks a set of timed questions generated from your US public and credit records. If you fail it, or if the system can’t generate the questions at all, it’s because of one of these:

• Your answers didn’t match the records: the questions are timed and cover addresses, vehicles, and accounts from your history. If any answer is wrong, the whole quiz fails.
• Your credit record is too thin: if you don’t have US credit history, the system may not have enough data to generate questions at all. This is not a rejection of your identity — the KBA path just isn’t the right one for you.
• You’ve hit the retry limit: KBA is capped at three attempts within a 48-hour window. This is a fraud-prevention measure and cannot be reset by support. If you’ve hit it, wait 48 hours or use one of the fallbacks below.

See the full details on how KBA works in Knowledge-Based Authentication.

Fallbacks when nothing else works

If you’ve tried the fix that matches your failure type and verification still won’t complete, you have real options. These are what our support agents will offer if you ask.

If your ID is physical, unexpired, and government-issued but the system still won’t accept it — or if KBA can’t generate a quiz because you don’t have US credit history — contact Proof support and provide:

• Your transaction ID (from your confirmation email or the meeting URL)
• Which failure type you hit from the four above
• The device and browser you’re using
• Roughly how many times the verification has failed
• The exact error message the system showed you, if any

Ask the sending organization for an alternative

If the requesting party (title company, employer, lender, DMV) sent you the notarization link, they may accept an in-person notarization or a different signing method if online verification is genuinely not possible for you. This is especially useful if your only ID is temporary, if you don’t have a US credit history, or if you’re outside the US.

Confirm state eligibility

Some US states restrict which documents can be notarized online, and rules vary for signers outside the US. If your document isn’t eligible for online notarization in your jurisdiction, an in-person notary is the standard alternative.

How to prevent this next time

A few minutes of preparation prevents most verification failures.

• Have your physical, unexpired government-issued ID in hand before starting.
• Use bright, indirect light and a dark solid background for the ID photo.
• Match your name, date of birth, and address exactly as they appear on your ID — not your current mailing address or nickname.
• On iPhone, start in Safari, not Chrome. On Android, start in Chrome with camera permission enabled.
• Test your camera and microphone before your appointment.
• Don’t burn through KBA attempts guessing — you get three per 48 hours.

Summary Checklist

• I identified which of the four failure types matches my situation.
• I applied the matching fix and retried the verification.
• If it still failed, I used the fallback path (contact support with the required details, or ask the requesting party for an alternative).

Updated August 26, 2026 15:20