Bookings
Age and ID Verification
Age and ID verification checks customer DOBs for age-restricted services, supports ID photo upload, chair-side checks, and privacy-safe PRO audit reporting.
Last updated 27 July 2026
TL;DR
- Age and ID verification checks customer DOBs for services with a Minimum age.
- If several services are booked together, OpenChair applies the highest minimum age across the selected services.
- Require ID photo upload only works when Minimum age is set, and customers must accept the ID photo consent before confirming.
- Before starting the appointment, staff should use Confirm ID or enter a recorded reason when using Start anyway.
Age and ID verification helps venues manage age-restricted services without moving the whole booking flow outside OpenChair. Set the age rule on the service, collect the customer's Date of birth during online booking, and record the physical ID check from the booking detail screen. ID photo capture is optional per service, and compliance export is available on PRO.
What is age and ID verification?
Age and ID verification is the OpenChair flow for services that require a customer to meet a minimum age. The booking flow validates the customer's DOB against the service rule, and the booking detail screen shows whether the client's ID has been checked before the service starts.
The booking detail card can show ID not yet verified, ID verified, or ID verification overridden. When the service also requires an ID photo, the card states either ID photo uploaded. Check it against the client's physical ID before starting. or ID photo missing. Check the client's physical ID before starting.
Set age rules on a service
Set age rules from the service form, because the requirement belongs to the service being booked. On web, go to Services, open or create a service, then use the age verification fields in the service form.
| Field | What it does | Validation |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | Requires the customer to declare a DOB during booking. The form shows a right-side value such as 18+ or No restriction. | Must be blank or between 1 and 99. |
| Require ID photo upload | Asks the customer to upload an ID photo during online booking for stricter compliance workflows. | Disabled until Minimum age is set. |
If Minimum age is blank, the service has no age check and Require ID photo upload is saved as off. If a save fails because the age is outside the allowed range, the form shows Minimum age must be between 1 and 99.
Customer booking flow
The customer booking flow asks for Date of birth when the selected service or service combo contains an age-restricted service. If the customer's DOB is already saved, the booking flow shows Date of birth is already on file for this client.
OpenChair checks the highest age requirement across the selected services. If the customer does not provide a DOB, or the DOB is too young for the appointment date, the booking API returns This service is available from {age}+.
When an ID photo is required, the confirmation step shows ID photo required and explains the required age. The customer can use Choose ID photo, Replace photo, or Remove, then must accept the consent text before the booking finishes.
Supported ID photo uploads are JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, and HEIF images up to 10 MB. OpenChair converts accepted images to private WebP storage and records the upload in the verification audit log.
ID photo retention
ID photo retention controls how long uploaded ID photos are kept after the customer consents. Go to Settings > Booking policies > Client data and use the ID photo retention card.
| Setting | Options | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Retention period | 6 months, 12 months (standard), 24 months, 60 months | 12 months (standard) |
The selected period appears in the customer disclosure when an ID photo is required. The setting autosaves, and if saving fails the card shows ID photo retention not saved.
Chair-side checks and overrides
Chair-side checks are recorded from the booking detail screen on web and mobile. Open the age-restricted booking and review the ID verification card before starting the service.
- Check the physical ID. Compare the client's physical ID with the DOB and, when present, the uploaded ID photo.
- Tap Confirm ID. The card records ID verified and the audit log stores the verification time and staff reference where available.
- Start the service. Once ID is verified, the normal booking status flow can continue.
If a team member tries to start an age-restricted service before ID is verified, OpenChair shows ID has not been verified. Web shows Override reason with the placeholder Regular client, ID checked on a prior visit and a Start anyway action. Mobile shows the same prompt with Not yet and Start anyway.
An override reason is required. If the reason is missing, web shows Override reason required and Enter a reason before starting without ID verification. The reason is saved against the booking audit trail.
Compliance report
The Compliance Report lists immutable age and ID verification events for age-restricted services. On web or mobile, open Reports → Compliance Report, select the recorded-event date range, then use Export CSV or Share CSV when records are available.
The report summarises audit events, affected bookings, recorded confirmations, review flags, and photo lifecycle events. Event counts are not unique bookings and do not claim the booking's current verification status. Tap or click an event to disclose its DOB, staff, reason, and booking action. Longer periods can load older events rather than silently stopping at the first page.
The CSV includes Booking ID, Customer, Service, Event, Declared DOB, Verified at, Verifying staff, ID photo status, Retention expires, Override reason, and Recorded at. It is formula-safe and never includes ID photo files or private storage references. Exports are limited to 5,000 events; choose a shorter period if the report asks you to narrow the range. If there are no rows for the selected dates, the report shows No compliance events in this period.
Note
Compliance export uses PRO-gated audit data. The service age check, DOB validation, ID photo capture, and chair-side verification are available outside the export.
Who can use this
| Role | Access |
|---|---|
| Owner | Can set service age rules, change ID photo retention, record Confirm ID, use Start anyway, and review or export Compliance Report events on PRO. |
| Manager | Can set service age rules, record Confirm ID, use Start anyway, and review or export Compliance Report events on PRO. |
| Team | Can view the booking verification card and record Confirm ID when they have booking access. |
| Customer | Enters Date of birth, uploads an ID photo when required, and accepts the ID photo consent during online booking. |
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Turning on Require ID photo upload without setting Minimum age | Set Minimum age first. The photo switch is disabled until the service has an age rule. |
| Treating an uploaded photo as the final check | Still check the client's physical ID before starting. The booking detail card explicitly tells staff to check physical ID. |
| Expecting every service in a combo to set the age | Set the age only where needed. OpenChair applies the highest minimum age across all selected services. |
| Looking for compliance export on FREE | Use PRO for audit review and export. The report explains that Compliance Report is available on the PRO plan. |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Minimum age must be between 1 and 99. | Edit the service and leave Minimum age blank, or enter a whole number from 1 to 99. |
| This service is available from {age}+ | Ask the customer to enter a valid DOB, or choose a service the customer is eligible to book. |
| Upload a clear ID photo before confirming. | Use Choose ID photo to add a JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC, or HEIF image up to 10 MB. |
| Accept the ID photo consent before confirming. | Tick the consent checkbox in the ID photo required section before confirming the booking. |
| ID photo retention not saved | Re-select Retention period in Settings > Booking policies > Client data and wait for the autosave to complete. |
| No ID verification records | Widen the Start and End date range, or export after age-restricted bookings have generated audit records. |
FAQ
What is age and ID verification?
Age and ID verification checks a customer's DOB against the highest minimum age on the booked services. It also gives staff a booking detail card for recording Confirm ID or a recorded override before the service starts.
How do I require age verification for a service?
Open Services, edit the service, set Minimum age, and save. Turn on Require ID photo upload only if the customer should upload a photo during online booking.
Who can export ID verification records?
Owners and managers can export ID verification audit events from Reports → Compliance Report on the PRO plan. The report uses the venue's recorded-event date range and exports DOB, staff, safe photo lifecycle status, retention expiry, override reason, event, and recorded time. ID photo files and private storage references are never exported.
What happens if the customer does not upload an ID photo?
If the service requires a photo, the customer must upload one and accept consent before confirming online. Staff still see whether the photo is uploaded or missing in the booking detail card and should check the client's physical ID before starting.