Beyond a criminal record check, you can let volunteers confirm who they are. With Offer volunteer identity verification turned on (Settings → Screening) — it's on by default — a volunteer confirms their identity with a government ID and a live selfie (powered by our partner Didit) as part of applying. It takes about a minute and is free — the only thing that ever costs $5 is the background check itself.
This is the same identity layer that powers our screening accuracy: matching the real person to the name and details on the check, which reduces false matches and strengthens the trust signal you can show your community. Volunteer verification and completion pages follow the visitor's saved or device light/dark theme automatically.
What you can see on a verified volunteer
On the volunteer's profile, the Verified Identity panel shows their ID photos and the details read from the document, plus at-a-glance chips like Matches application, Live person confirmed, and Face matches ID. A chip also flags if the ID has expired. Expand Verification details to review the proof behind the check:
- Application match — whether the name and date of birth on the government ID match what the volunteer typed on your form (your defense against a borrowed identity). If something differs, you'll see exactly what.
- Liveness video — the short clip the volunteer recorded, confirming a real, present person (not a photo).
- Face match — their live selfie next to the photo on their ID, with a match score.
- Device & location — the approximate, city-level location the check was completed from (with a map), and whether an anonymizer such as a VPN or Tor was detected — a simple fraud signal.
It stays out of your way by default — expand it only when you want the extra assurance.
Verifying yourself as an admin
There's a second, separate kind of verification — for the person running checks, not the volunteer. On new organizations, before you can invite a volunteer to apply, run an instant (direct) check, or view any submissions — the application data, SSN-traced address history, identity-verification evidence, or a background-check report — the admin doing it verifies their identity once. You can begin sharing your public application link and QR code and collect submissions immediately; the personal data simply stays locked behind a “Verify to view” screen until you've verified. It's free and takes about two minutes: open Settings → Verify identity, first verify your mobile number with a one-time text code (a required step, so we always have a way to reach you about your account), then confirm your identity with a government ID and a live selfie (powered by our verification partner, Didit). Once done you won't be asked again, a trust badge shows next to your name, and we automatically fill your name (from your ID) and your account headshot (from your verification selfie) — edit either anytime under Settings → Account, where your verified mobile also appears. Signing up stays frictionless — this only appears the first time you actually invite, check, or open a submission, which is where the FCRA (§607(a), 15 U.S.C. §1681e(a)) asks a consumer reporting agency to make a reasonable effort to verify the identity of a new prospective user. Existing organizations are grandfathered.
Already verified on the volunteer side? Some leaders invite themselves as a volunteer to try that experience first. If you already completed identity verification there, we recognize it's you — by your login or your verified mobile number — and apply it to your leader account automatically, so you won't verify twice. (We only auto-apply on a reliable match; otherwise you'll simply verify once more.)
Two kinds of verification
Camera or selfie giving a volunteer trouble? See Identity verification isn't working (camera & selfie help).