Do You Need an ID1 Solicitor Near You?

Searching for “ID1 form verification near me”? The short answer is that you do not need anyone local at all. HM Land Registry accepts identity checks by live video call, so where your solicitor sits makes no difference to your application.

Here is why that is true, and why the local options people try first so often fail. If you would rather skip straight to the process, our ID1 form verification online page explains how the appointment works.

Why your location does not matter

HM Land Registry lets a conveyancer check your identity on a live video call. That check is then recorded on a separate ID5 form, which goes in with your ID1. So the rules do not care where either of you is sitting.

This is not a workaround. The ID1 form itself tells a verifier using a video call to complete an ID5 rather than Section B or C. The rules behind it sit in Practice Guide 67, which our plain-English guide unpacks.

Nor is it a leftover from the pandemic. The temporary supplement that introduced video checks was merged into the main guide on 21 November 2022. So it is now part of standard guidance.

No, not the Post Office either

The Post Office runs identity checking for other things, such as GOV.UK One Login. However, it is not on HM Land Registry’s list of people who can verify an ID1.

Your form has to be signed by a conveyancer, such as a practising solicitor, or by another professional HM Land Registry accepts. A Post Office clerk is not one of them.

People sometimes remember using the Post Office for an identity check years ago. That route is not accepted for an ID1, so a form signed there will come back to you.

Our guide on whether the Post Office can verify an ID1 explains what a branch can and cannot do for you.

Can HM Land Registry check you itself?

No. HM Land Registry has confirmed that its staff are no longer authorised to verify identities.

Older guidance mentioned free checks at its customer information centres, and some websites still repeat that. It is out of date. So a regulated professional has to do it instead, and they may charge a fee for it.

Your solicitor does not need to know you

Many people hunt for a local firm because they assume the solicitor must already know them. They do not.

Section B of the ID1 gives the verifier two options. One says they have known you for at least two years. The other says they have not.

Both are acceptable to HM Land Registry. So a solicitor meeting you for the first time on a video call can verify you, exactly as a local one could.

What an in-person appointment actually involves

An in-person check is more work than most people expect. You need two identical colour passport-size photographs, taken in the last three months, printed on photographic paper. Your verifier then signs the back of one.

So a local appointment means a photo booth, a trip to an office, and often time off work. A video appointment needs none of that. Our guide to what ID documents you need covers the rest of the list.

Why local firms often say no

Plenty of people try the local route first and struggle. On MoneySavingExpert, posters describe emailing several solicitors and notaries, then getting refusals or quotes of £100 per form.

There are two reasons for this. First, an ID1 is a small job that carries real liability. The professional is telling HM Land Registry they checked you properly.

Second, many firms would rather take the whole conveyancing job than a ten-minute check.

You may also have heard that a solicitor will do it for about £5. However, that is the usual charge for swearing an oath, and an ID1 is not an oath.

Common questions

Do I need a solicitor near me for an ID1 form?

No. HM Land Registry accepts identity checks by live video call, so your verifier can be anywhere in England and Wales. Where they are based has no effect on whether your form is accepted.

Can a Post Office clerk sign my ID1 form?

No. The Post Office is not on HM Land Registry’s list of people who can verify an ID1. Instead, you need a conveyancer, such as a solicitor, or another professional HM Land Registry accepts.

Can I do my ID1 verification online?

Yes. A conveyancer can check your identity on a live video call. The check is then recorded on an ID5 form, so the whole thing happens from home.

Can HM Land Registry verify my identity?

No. HM Land Registry staff are no longer authorised to verify identities. Some older pages still mention free checks at its offices, but that guidance is out of date.

Does the solicitor need to have known me?

No. The form lets your verifier tick either that they have known you for at least two years, or that they have not. Both answers are acceptable.

How much does ID1 verification cost near me?

Local prices vary a lot, and some firms will not take the work at all. Each ID1 verification with us is a fixed £79 per person, which includes the ID5 video verification. See our guide to what an ID1 form costs for how that compares.

I live in London. Do you have an office I can visit?

No. We are online only, with no walk-in appointments. Every verification happens by video call, so your postcode makes no difference to how we work or what you pay.

How long does the appointment take?

Usually about 15 minutes. After that, your signed and stamped forms are normally sent to you the same day.

How your video verification works

1. Book a time. Book online now and pay securely, or message us on WhatsApp first if you have a question. Same-day, evening and weekend appointments are often available.
2. Verify by video call. Then a solicitor checks your ID on a short, secure call. This is the ID5 process.
3. Get your forms. So your signed, stamped ID1 and ID5 are sent to you the same day.
4. Send to Land Registry. Then submit your forms alongside the rest of your application.

Living outside the UK? Overseas verification is a fixed £99, covering the video call, your form, and the extra coordination and postage involved. Our guide to verifying from overseas has the detail.

Related guides

• Who is allowed to verify your identity
• How long a signed form stays valid
• What to do if your form is rejected or requisitioned

Not sure which applies to you? Then browse the full set on our ID1, ID2 and ID5 guides hub.