BSI PAS 1296:2018 was the first international standard for online age checking. In 2024, the IEEE 2089.1 was published and this is the current standard, including standardised levels of age assurance to facilitate global alignment of regulatory requirements and interoperability. The ISO is developing standards that will define a framework for age assurance and a best practice process for implementing age verification. The first of these, ISO 27556-1, expected to be published in the second half of 2025.
Audits are carried out by government-accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies. The UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) is responsible for this in the UK. AV Providers are assessed against a certification scheme which is independently governed and incorporates the relevant standards. Certification has to be regularly reviewed, and the Certification Body will consider any complaints that providers are not acting in accordance with the Scheme, and can withdraw the certificate. Consumers can also check with the Certification Body to see which providers have been approved – and more importantly, so can the websites which are selecting providers so they can ensure they are using only audited suppliers.
The Age Check Certification Scheme has been developed to audit compliance against the PASS and IEEE 2089.1 and will soon incorporate ISO 27566-1 (and retiring PAS 1296) as soon as it is published.
Companies which have been audited to this and other related standards are listed on their registry here.