Form ID3 Explained: When You Need One Instead of an ID1

Form ID3 is the identity form people reach for when no solicitor will help them. It is real, it is current, and HM Land Registry still accepts it. But the rules around it are far tighter than most websites admit.

So this guide sets out who can sign an ID3 and the four conditions you must meet. It also explains why the ID1 route suits almost everyone. Our full set of ID1, ID2 and ID5 guides covers the rest of the process.

What is a form ID3?

Form ID3 is HM Land Registry’s certificate of identity for a private individual. It does the same job as an ID1, but it is signed by someone who is not a conveyancer.

HM Land Registry is clear about the order. If a conveyancer can verify you, use form ID1. So the ID3 exists only for people who cannot reach one.

You complete part 1 yourself. Then someone in one of the authorised professions completes part 2.

Who can sign a form ID3?

The list changed in February 2024 and is now very short. Only these six can verify an ID3:

• A medical doctor
• A dentist
• A chartered or certified accountant
• A regulated financial adviser
• A Member of Parliament
• A Member of the Senedd

Other professions used to appear on the form. However, HM Land Registry removed them, so older articles listing teachers, police officers or bank managers are out of date.

Notaries are not on this list either, and that surprises people. Because a notary counts as a conveyancer, a notary verifies you on an ID1 instead.

The four conditions you must meet

This is where the ID3 route usually falls down. All four of these must be true, not just one or two:

• You and your verifier must both hold a current valid full passport from the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
• You must have known each other for at least one year
• You must not be related to each other in any way
• You must not be involved in the same transaction

Read that list again with a real person in mind. For example, your accountant may qualify, but only if you have known them a year and you both hold UK passports.

As a result, many people find they have nobody who fits. Then the ID1 route becomes the practical answer rather than the fallback.

What you both have to send

An ID3 needs more paperwork than an ID1. Both of you must send HM Land Registry a copy of the personal details page of your passport.

There is a trap here for verifiers. However, if they verify two people, they must supply two copies of their own passport page. So one copy covering everybody is not accepted.

Your verifier should also give their professional registration number where they have one. Because HM Land Registry checks that forms are genuine, that number helps your application move.

The overseas myth

Plenty of websites say that people living abroad should use an ID3. That advice is wrong, and following it can cost you an application.

HM Land Registry’s position is different. Say you live overseas and no UK conveyancer can verify you. Then a lawyer or notary qualified in your country completes section B or C of your ID1.

So the overseas route is an ID1, not an ID3. Our guide to verifying from overseas explains how that works in practice.

There is no video option for an ID3

Video verification is recorded on an ID5 form. But the ID5 only ever travels with an ID1 or an ID2, never with an ID3.

So the ID3 route means meeting your verifier face to face. Therefore, if travel or distance is your problem, the ID3 will not solve it.

Our guide to ID5 video verification explains what the video route records.

What happened to form ID4?

Form ID4 was the company version of the ID3. However, HM Land Registry withdrew it in February 2024.

So a company that cannot use a conveyancer has no equivalent fallback. Instead, the company uses an ID2 form verified by a conveyancer.

How long a form ID3 lasts

Three months, measured the same way as an ID1. Both parts must be dated and signed no more than three months before HM Land Registry receives your application.

So the timing advice is identical for both forms. Our guide to how long an ID1 lasts covers when to book so nothing expires.

Why most people use an ID1 instead

Look at what the ID3 route asks of you. You need a doctor, dentist, accountant, financial adviser or politician. Also, they must have known you a year, hold a UK passport, and sit outside your transaction.

Then you need to meet them in person, and they may charge you anyway. Because of all that, the ID1 route is usually faster and more certain.

Each ID1 verification is a fixed £79 per person, which includes the ID5 video verification. See our pricing page for the full breakdown, or read more about our ID1 verification service.

Common questions

Should I use form ID1 or form ID3?

Use form ID1 if a conveyancer can verify you. So form ID3 is only for people who cannot reach one. In addition, it must be signed by someone in one of six authorised professions.

Who can verify a form ID3?

Six professions qualify. They are a medical doctor, a dentist, a chartered or certified accountant, and a regulated financial adviser. An MP or a Member of the Senedd can also sign. However, HM Land Registry removed every other profession in February 2024.

Can a notary public sign a form ID3?

No. A notary public counts as a conveyancer for HM Land Registry, so a notary verifies you on form ID1 instead. Many websites still get this wrong.

Can a family member verify my form ID3?

No. The rules say you and your verifier must not be related to each other in any way. They also must not be involved in the same transaction.

Do I need a passport for form ID3?

Yes, and so does your verifier. Both of you must hold a current valid full passport from the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Can a form ID3 be done by video call?

No. The ID5 form records video verification, and it only ever travels with an ID1 or an ID2. So the ID3 route means meeting your verifier in person.

How long is a form ID3 valid for?

Three months. Both parts must be dated and signed no more than three months before HM Land Registry receives your application.

Do joint owners each need their own form ID3?

Yes. Where more than one person is party to the transaction, each one completes a separate form. So each of you also provides separate evidence of identity.

I live abroad. Should I use form ID3?

Usually not. If no UK conveyancer can verify you, a local lawyer or notary completes your ID1 instead. So HM Land Registry expects that route, not an ID3.

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. Next, a solicitor checks your ID on a short, secure call. This is the ID5 process.
3. Get your forms. Your signed and stamped ID1, together with the ID5, is sent to you the same day.
4. Send to Land Registry. Finally, submit your forms alongside the rest of your application.