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ARTICLE · 29 SEPTEMBER 2026

Digital Age Verification Now In Force: Key Considerations For Operators

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New legislation effective 15 September 2026 allows licensed premises in the UK to accept digital proof of age for alcohol sales, modernising identity verification processes. Operators must navigate updated mandatory conditions, review existing premises licences, and consider staff training requirements before implementing digital age verification systems.

United KingdomConsumer Protection
Rebecca Lowe
Rebecca Lowe

New legislation has come into force today (15 September 2026) to give licensed premises the option to accept digital proof of age for alcohol sales.

The change forms part of wider efforts to modernise identity verification and gives operators the option of accepting certain digital forms of ID as part of their age-verification policies.

What's changing?

The mandatory conditions currently require that an age verification policy is adopted in all premises licensed to sell alcohol for consumption on and off the premises. Such policy must require all individuals who appear to be under 18 years of age (or such older age as specified in the policy) to produce identification to establish that they are in fact over 18 years of age. Most commonly, premises adopt a Challenge 21 or Challenge 25 policy in this regard.

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