Right to Rent Manual Check vs Digital DVSP: Which Verification Route to Use

You have four legally recognised ways to verify a tenant's Right to Rent in England, and picking the wrong one for the tenant's circumstances means your check doesn't count. The statutory excuse — the thing that shields you from a £10,000 penalty — only holds if you used an authorised route that matches the tenant's nationality and documentation.

The Four Verification Routes

Route 1: Manual document check. You inspect original documents from List A or List B — including an authoritative digital version where the document was issued digitally — verify the photo matches the tenant, and retain a copy with a secure record of the check date. Available for British citizens, Irish citizens, and foreign nationals who hold acceptable documents.

Route 2: GOV.UK online share code. The tenant generates a 9-character code (starting with R) from their UKVI account. You enter it on the official GOV.UK landlord portal, review the digital profile, and save a dated copy. Required for tenants with digital immigration status — eVisa holders, EU Settlement Scheme participants, and anyone whose physical BRP/BRC has been superseded by digital records.

Route 3: Digital check through a registered DVSP. A Right to Rent Digital Verification Service Provider (RtR DVSP) can check a British or Irish passport or passport card, including one that expired within the last six months if verified through passive authentication. It can also verify acceptable List A or List B documents issued digitally by their authoritative source. Since 1 October 2026, the provider must be registered with the Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA) and permitted to conduct right to rent checks. Using an unregistered or unapproved provider means no statutory excuse.

Route 4: Landlord Checking Service. You submit an online request to the Home Office when the tenant can't use a standard check — typically because their visa application is pending, their documents are held by the Home Office, or they have a Certificate of Application under the EU Settlement Scheme. The usual response is a Positive Right to Rent Notice (12-month excuse) or a Negative Right to Rent Notice. If the LCS has not considered the request within 2 working days, its automatic response can confirm that you may let the property and establishes a 12-month excuse.

How to Match Tenant to Route

The tenant's nationality and documentation determines which routes are available:

British or Irish citizen with a valid passport: Routes 1 (manual) or 3 (DVSP). Let the tenant choose — some prefer the convenience of a digital check through a DVSP, others would rather show their passport in person.

British or Irish citizen without an eligible passport: Route 1 using any two List A Group 2 documents, such as a birth certificate and a driving licence. A registered DVSP may also verify acceptable List A or List B documents issued digitally by their authoritative source.

Non-British, non-Irish national with digital immigration status (eVisa, EUSS): Route 2 (share code). Physical BRPs and BRCs have been phased out for manual checks, so Route 1 is generally not available to this group unless they hold other acceptable physical documents.

Tenant with a pending Home Office application or withheld documents: Route 4 (Landlord Checking Service) where the tenant's circumstances make them eligible and a standard route cannot be used.

The golden rule: you must not insist that a tenant uses a specific route. If a British tenant wants to show their passport rather than use a DVSP, accept it. If a non-British tenant wants to provide a share code rather than physical documents, accept it. Demanding one method over another risks a discrimination complaint under the Equality Act 2010.

Manual Checks: In-Person and Video

Manual document checks require you to inspect the originals in the presence of the holder. The standard interpretation is face-to-face in the same room, but live video calls are also acceptable. For physical documents, you must hold the original in your hands during the video call, not the tenant; for digitally issued documents, check their source and validity.

This covers the practical scenario where a tenant posts their original documents to you (signed-for delivery is sensible) and you inspect them while on a video call together. You're checking for genuine originals, photograph match, date-of-birth consistency, and obvious signs of tampering.

You're expected to apply the standard of a reasonable layperson. You don't need to be a forensic document examiner. But you can't ignore documents that are clearly altered, have replaced photographs, or show inconsistent personal details.

DVSP Providers: What Changed in October 2026

Before October 2026, the rules around digital identity checks were loosely framed — any "certified IDSP" could offer the service. The Code of Practice in force since 1 October 2026 tightened this: digital identity checks for Right to Rent purposes must now go through a provider specifically registered as a Right to Rent DVSP with OfDIA.

The practical implication: if you've been using a digital identity provider, confirm they're on the current OfDIA register. An unregistered provider's output doesn't establish a statutory excuse, even if the check itself was technically sound.

Even with a registered DVSP, legal liability stays with you. You must review the DVSP's output report and confirm that the photograph matches the tenant. The technology handles the document validation; the identity match is still your responsibility.

For decision maps that walk you through every scenario — from a British pensioner without a passport to a student on a Section 3C extension — see the Right to Rent Checks guide.

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