Etsy seller identity verification: how it works and why it fails
Before you can finish opening an Etsy shop, Etsy asks you to verify your identity. Etsy says it does this to protect the marketplace, reduce fraud and meet its legal obligations. Here’s how the process works, according to Etsy’s help.
Who runs it: Persona
Etsy uses a third-party provider, Persona, for identity verification. You’ll be asked for two things:
- A photo of a government-issued ID. Accepted types depend on your country and can include a driver’s license, state ID, passport or permanent resident card.
- A live selfie, which Persona compares with the photo on your ID.
The rules that trip people up
- The ID can’t be expired.
- The name on the ID must match the name on the bank account you added to get paid. If they differ — a married name, a business account, a nickname — fix the mismatch first.
- The image must be clear and unaltered, showing your full name, date of birth and expiration date.
Express or manual review
Depending on where you are, you can choose:
- express review, which uses biometric data; or
- manual review, without biometric data — usually slower.
You can withdraw consent to biometric verification at any time. Etsy says your selfie and ID image are kept no longer than 6 years after your shop closes, and biometric data for a shorter period.
If verification fails
- If the selfie doesn’t match, you may be asked to try again with a different selfie — take it in good light with your face fully visible.
- Failing several times may mean you can’t onboard with Etsy for now, so check your ID and bank details carefully before retrying.
- You can check your status in Shop Manager, under Legal & tax information.
Already selling and asked to verify again?
Etsy may also ask existing sellers to confirm their seller information for Etsy Payments — name, date of birth, home address, and sometimes an updated copy of your ID. Business sellers may need to verify both the business and a person. Until it’s done, payouts or your shop can be restricted — see Etsy funds on hold and Etsy shop suspended.
Only verify from inside your Etsy account (Shop Manager or Etsy’s own emails that send you there). Don’t send ID photos to anyone who messages you asking for them.