Guides: which ID1, ID2 or ID5 form do you need?
Whether you are transferring a property, dealing with probate, selling without a solicitor, or just trying to work out which form applies, these guides walk you through it. You will also find what documents to bring, who is allowed to verify you, what the check costs, and how long your form stays valid. Every guide is written in plain English, kept up to date, and backed by the same fixed-price ID1 verification service. See our pricing page for what it costs.
Your situation
Transfer of equityAdding or removing someone from a property’s title — when you need an ID1, and how to get it verified.Read the guide →
Gifting a propertyGiving a property to a family member — what HM Land Registry needs from everyone involved.Read the guide →
Probate and executorsExecutors and beneficiaries — who needs an ID1 when a property passes through an estate, and why.Read the guide →
House deeds after a deathA joint or sole owner has died — which forms update the register, and when an ID1 is needed.Read the guide →
Power of attorneyActing for someone else — what both the attorney and the donor need to verify.Read the guide →
Changing trusteesAppointing or retiring a trustee — who has to be verified, the four-trustee limit, and when a death changes things.Read the guide →
Verifying an elderly or housebound parentArranging an ID1 for a parent who cannot travel — and where mental capacity changes the process.Read the guide →
Verifying from overseasLiving outside the UK — how to complete your ID1 by video call from anywhere in the world.Read the guide →
Do you need someone near you?No local solicitor, or none who will take it on — why location makes no difference, and why the Post Office cannot help.Read the guide →
Buying or selling without a solicitorCash sales and private transfers — who needs an ID1 when nobody is acting for you, and when to get it done.Read the guide →
Changing your name on the title deedsMarriage, divorce or deed poll — when HM Land Registry needs an ID1, and when it does not.Read the guide →
Removing a mortgage or remortgagingPaying off a loan or switching lender — who the identity check is really on, and when you need an ID1.Read the guide →
First registration of unregistered landRegistering for the first time — no ID1 if you have the deeds, but lost deeds and sales change that.Read the guide →
Lost your property deeds?Why lost deeds rarely matter for a registered home — how to get a copy of the register, and when you need an ID1.Read the guide →
Gifting a propertyGiving a property to a family member — what HM Land Registry needs from everyone involved.Read the guide →
Probate and executorsExecutors and beneficiaries — who needs an ID1 when a property passes through an estate, and why.Read the guide →
House deeds after a deathA joint or sole owner has died — which forms update the register, and when an ID1 is needed.Read the guide →
Power of attorneyActing for someone else — what both the attorney and the donor need to verify.Read the guide →
Changing trusteesAppointing or retiring a trustee — who has to be verified, the four-trustee limit, and when a death changes things.Read the guide →
Verifying an elderly or housebound parentArranging an ID1 for a parent who cannot travel — and where mental capacity changes the process.Read the guide →
Verifying from overseasLiving outside the UK — how to complete your ID1 by video call from anywhere in the world.Read the guide →
Do you need someone near you?No local solicitor, or none who will take it on — why location makes no difference, and why the Post Office cannot help.Read the guide →
Buying or selling without a solicitorCash sales and private transfers — who needs an ID1 when nobody is acting for you, and when to get it done.Read the guide →
Changing your name on the title deedsMarriage, divorce or deed poll — when HM Land Registry needs an ID1, and when it does not.Read the guide →
Removing a mortgage or remortgagingPaying off a loan or switching lender — who the identity check is really on, and when you need an ID1.Read the guide →
First registration of unregistered landRegistering for the first time — no ID1 if you have the deeds, but lost deeds and sales change that.Read the guide →
Lost your property deeds?Why lost deeds rarely matter for a registered home — how to get a copy of the register, and when you need an ID1.Read the guide →
Getting verified
How to fill in form ID1Every panel of Section A, which sections you leave blank, and the mistakes that cause a requisition.Read the guide →
What ID documents you needPassports, licences and bills — exactly what HM Land Registry accepts, and why online bank statements are refused.Read the guide →
Who can verify your identitySolicitors, notaries and the people who are not allowed to sign — including why a paralegal never can.Read the guide →
Can the Post Office verify an ID1?Why a branch counter cannot sign your form — and what the Post Office can and cannot do for you.Read the guide →
What an ID1 check costsThe form is free, but the check is not — what solicitors typically charge, and what the price should include.Read the guide →
How long an ID1 form lastsThree months, measured to the day Land Registry receives it — and when to book so yours does not expire.Read the guide →
Rejected or requisitioned?Your form came back — what the letter means, how long you have to reply, and how to put it right fast.Read the guide →
What ID documents you needPassports, licences and bills — exactly what HM Land Registry accepts, and why online bank statements are refused.Read the guide →
Who can verify your identitySolicitors, notaries and the people who are not allowed to sign — including why a paralegal never can.Read the guide →
Can the Post Office verify an ID1?Why a branch counter cannot sign your form — and what the Post Office can and cannot do for you.Read the guide →
What an ID1 check costsThe form is free, but the check is not — what solicitors typically charge, and what the price should include.Read the guide →
How long an ID1 form lastsThree months, measured to the day Land Registry receives it — and when to book so yours does not expire.Read the guide →
Rejected or requisitioned?Your form came back — what the letter means, how long you have to reply, and how to put it right fast.Read the guide →
Understanding the forms
What is an ID1 form?The starting point — what the ID1 is, when you need one, and who can verify it.Read the guide →
ID2 form explainedIdentity verification for companies and corporate bodies — how the ID2 works.Read the guide →
Form ID3 explainedWhen no conveyancer can verify you — who is allowed to sign an ID3, and the four conditions you must meet.Read the guide →
ID1 vs ID2 vs ID5Three similar names, three different jobs — a side-by-side comparison of all three forms.Read the guide →
ID5 video verification explainedThe form you never fill in yourself — what the ID5 records and why it matters.Read the guide →
Practice Guide 67 explainedThe HM Land Registry guidance behind all of it — who can verify you, and what evidence counts.Read the guide →
Download the formsGet the current, official ID1 and ID2 forms straight from GOV.UK — and find out what happens next.Read the guide →
ID2 form explainedIdentity verification for companies and corporate bodies — how the ID2 works.Read the guide →
Form ID3 explainedWhen no conveyancer can verify you — who is allowed to sign an ID3, and the four conditions you must meet.Read the guide →
ID1 vs ID2 vs ID5Three similar names, three different jobs — a side-by-side comparison of all three forms.Read the guide →
ID5 video verification explainedThe form you never fill in yourself — what the ID5 records and why it matters.Read the guide →
Practice Guide 67 explainedThe HM Land Registry guidance behind all of it — who can verify you, and what evidence counts.Read the guide →
Download the formsGet the current, official ID1 and ID2 forms straight from GOV.UK — and find out what happens next.Read the guide →
Common questions
Which guide should I start with?
If you know your situation, such as a transfer, a gift or probate, start with the matching guide in the first section above. If you are not sure which form applies at all, start with ID1 vs ID2 vs ID5, which sorts it out in a minute.
Do I need a solicitor near me?
No. HM Land Registry accepts identity checks by live video call, so your verifier can be anywhere. Our guide to whether you need an ID1 solicitor near you explains why. And if you were thinking of the Post Office, our Post Office guide explains why a branch counter cannot help.
What do I need to bring to my appointment?
A passport or full photocard driving licence covers it for most people, along with your address history for the last five years. If you have neither, two other documents will do instead — our guide to what ID documents you need lists exactly what counts.
Can someone else be verified on my parent’s behalf?
No. HM Land Registry verifies the person named on the title, not the relative helping them. But you can arrange the appointment, help with the form and sit with them during the call — our guide to verifying an elderly or housebound parent explains how that works.
Do companies need a different guide?
Yes — companies use the ID2 form rather than the ID1. Start with ID2 Form Explained, or go straight to our ID2 verification service.
What if no solicitor will verify me?
Then form ID3 may apply, but only if you meet four strict conditions and your verifier is in one of six professions. Our guide to form ID3 explains who qualifies, and why the ID1 route is simpler for most people.
Can I just book without reading the guides?
Absolutely. The guides are here for anyone who wants the detail, but you do not need them to get verified — book online, or message us on WhatsApp and we will confirm exactly which forms you need before you pay anything.
Not sure where to start?
Message us on WhatsApp and we will point you to the right guide, or book your verification online and we will handle the details.