Learn the difference between your Upwork profile and verified name, why honesty matters in your work history, and how to follow contract and account rules.
In this article
- Understand the difference between your profile name and verified name
- Be honest about your work history and relationships
- Meet the terms of your contract
- Don't share your Upwork account
- The bottom line
Understand the difference between your profile name and verified name
Some people are called one name by their family and friends, which differs from the name on their legal documents. On Upwork, think of your account name as your nickname — the name that potential clients or freelancers may use with you — and your verified name as the name on your legal documents.
Account and profile name: The name on your account should be what you use to identify yourself in everyday life. It doesn’t have to match your identity document; you can use the name you’re most comfortable with. If you’re a freelancer, this is the name that will appear on your public profile. This is the name people will use when working with you on Upwork.
Verified name: Upwork will use the name on the identity documents you give us as your verified name and it must match the name on your taxpayer info, withdrawal method, tax information, and tax forms. Your verified name will be shown on contracts and invoices only. Your verified name typically can’t be changed, however, if the name on your legal documents isn’t accurate (for example, if you changed your name due to a marriage or you don’t identify with the name and gender on your identity documents) you can contact us for help.
Learn more about how to change your profile name.
Be honest about your work history and relationships
When building your profile, it's important to be honest about your skills and work history.
You shouldn't exaggerate your skills, misrepresent your work history, or suggest a relationship with another company, person, organization, or any other entity if that relationship doesn't actually exist.
Falsifying credentials quickly erodes trust. If you aren't honest and can't complete a job you've accepted as a result, it may result in negative feedback or a dispute.
Meet the terms of your contract
If you've accepted an Upwork contract, the work you submit should reflect the agreement you've made with your client — especially regarding who will be completing the work.
You can't subcontract any portion of the work you've agreed to complete without the client's consent.
If you plan to subcontract tasks to another freelancer, you should share this information with your client at the start of any engagement and confirm that they understand and agree. Clear communication helps maintain trust and transparency throughout the project.
Important:
Do not subcontract work if it requires holding a professional license. Offering or delivering licensed services through someone else can pose serious legal and safety risks, and may result in account deactivation.
Don't share your Upwork account
Sharing, selling, trading, or transferring your Upwork account to another person is not permitted.
You cannot log into someone else's account or let anyone log into your account and work or communicate on your behalf. Doing so not only violates our Terms of Service, but allowing someone to use your account or identity can support criminal activity. As part of our efforts to keep the site secure, we report instances of possible crimes to law enforcement for investigation.
The bottom line
When it comes to our marketplace, honesty is a key component to success. If we find that the information you provided isn't accurate, we may ask you to re-verify your account information. We may also restrict or permanently suspend your account if we cannot verify the information you provide.
Learn more about how our Trust and Safety team protects the marketplace.