✓ Verify your identity as an Enterprise client

Upwork requires users to verify their identity for security and compliance reasons. Verification may involve submitting a government-issued ID, confirming location, taking a photo, or verifying a phone number. Users typically have seven days to complete the process, and failure to comply may result in account restrictions.

Knowing that people are who they claim to be is a vital part of safety and security. That’s why we routinely ask freelancers and clients to verify their identities.

We’ll let you know if we need you to verify your identify. We use a few different types of identity verification:

• Government ID
• Location for U.S.-only jobs
• Government ID and location
• Visual
• Phone number

We may ask you to verify only one of the above or all of them. Once you're notified, you'll have seven days to finish the verification before your account is put on hold.

In most cases, we’ll be able to verify your identity within minutes once you submit your information.

Before you begin

Make sure you have the following ready:

• A valid government-issued ID
  • The country on your Upwork profile should match the country of your ID
  • Make sure your Upwork profile photo is yourself and accurately represents your current appearance
  • Make sure the names on your withdrawal method, tax information, and tax forms match the name on your ID. Upwork will use the name on the identity documents you give us as your verified name. Name mismatch? Contact support
• A phone with a working camera

Types of government-issued ID

This ID must include your picture, signature, name, date of birth, and address, with the exception of passports, which don't need your address.

• The documents we accept include passport, national ID card (NIC/CNIC), driver's license, NBI Clearance (Philippines only), tax ID, voter ID, postal ID, or any other valid government-issued photo ID that meets these criteria
• For refugees and asylum seekers, we may accept UNHCR-issued documents, Asylum Seeker Temporary Visa, or Asylum Seeker Certificate

We cannot accept:

• Student IDs, employee IDs, library cards, handwritten IDs, temporary IDs, photocopied IDs, military IDs, and health cards

Tips to capture an image

• Take the photo of the ID from above, with the ID lying on a flat, dark surface
• Don’t cover up any part of the ID or your face
• Leave margins on all sides of the image
• Don’t use a flash

To verify your identity

1. We’ll let you know when it’s time to verify your identity. Make sure you’ve read the “Before you begin” section above and select the link in your email or notification to start the process
2. Follow the steps listed. You will need to scan a QR code to continue the process on your phone

If the images requested are captured successfully and match your profile information, your identity will be verified instantly. Please allow up to three business days for the badge to appear on your profile.

In some cases, we may need to review the documents you submitted and ask for more information, which may take longer. When this happens, we’ll be in touch through email.

Reasons you could be asked to verify your identity

• To determine ownership of an account (including the U.S. Government Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance program)
• To confirm your location to comply with local taxes and regulations
• To resume your account after a suspension
• For other reasons that we may deem appropriate to maintain the integrity of the marketplace

What happens if you don't verify your identity?

If you’ve received a notification that verifying your identity is required and you're unable to do so or choose not to verify, you may not be able to continue working through Upwork. That means you can't submit new proposals or make withdrawals.