Can't confirm age in UK

I’ve had mine sorted, I ended up complaining about it to them via a Ai box chat on apple. Ended up with a guy called Mike from cork Ireland, ok it took a few days but eventually it was sorted. That was with my citizenship card as I don’t drive or have a credit card.

Dillonuk wrote:

My citizen id finally came and guess what it not working Apple are quite happy taking money from me for Apple care and iCloud but they won’t accept uk id card.

Contact Apple or go to your closest Apple Store and take your new Citizen Card with you and let them help you. This has NOTHING to do with AppleCARE OR paying for iCloud, so not sure what you meant by that?

The first time this update came out I had many issues however they have now done an update for the update and it worked instantly so thank god for that. If anyone is having the same issue I’d suggest do the new update n follow what they say to do it scanned so much quicker with the second update.

Deanl34 wrote:

But what about people who don’t drive, don’t have photo id and don’t have a credit card ?

That's going to be an issue. But not one anyone on this user to user only forum can solve for you.

This is from Apple --> Age requirements for managing an Apple Account in the UK - Apple Support

I have just succeeded in proving over 18. The chat agent had me try it again and it went through with no problem, a message stating that the length of time I had an account with Apple being the deciding factor. I have an old-fashioned paper driving licence, no credit card and no other form of ID. Not that I access adult content but that annoying reminder on my settings icon has now gone.

My brother did not have this trouble with his Android phone!

Dave122z wrote:

Updated to 26.4.1 and still can’t update my age. This update said that it would remove bugs. Seems not so. I do not have a credit card, I do not have a drivers licence. So therefore I can’t prove my age.

What did Apple do to help you when you logically contacted them for help? Do you have a Citizen Card? This link explains your options --> Age requirements for managing an Apple Account in the UK - Apple Support

Kevnid201 wrote:

Farcical update phone and iPad are both demanding proof of age . Debit cards passports and birth certificates not valid yet credit cards and driving licenses are ?..

Despite what you might hear elsewhere, the frustration that this move has caused is a bit to do with the Online Safety Act in the UK and a lot to do with Apple’s implementation of following the requirements. The Act does allow several other forms and methods for proving age but Apple (currently) only accept a subset of those. In fairness, I don’t expect that every age check out there will accept every form of ID. It’s also questionable whether Apple needed to enforce device level age checks rather than just service level checks. For example, you’d need to prove your age on a gambling app to use it but not necessarily have to prove your age to the phone before you could download the app. Same goes for web sites. In the end, it’s Apple’s right to choose which route to take. Other systems may or may not follow.

Ultimately, my view is that I’d rather that my phone acts as a broker to vouch for my age rather than me having to give sensitive personal information to every service provider that decides they need it. Will it work that way? We will have to wait and see.

I got around the block by asking to use another form of ID when the phone prompted me for a credit card. It then decided that since I’ve had an Apple ID for over 20 years, I’m probably not a child.

Elfin_laggin1 wrote:

I’ve just updated my phone to the new version and I have to try n verify my age. For context I’m 21 and on my Apple account it says that yet still need to. I don’t own a credit card so I move over to scan my id after so many attempts it then says verification failed. How? Why? I need help before I throw my phone.

What ID are you trying to scan? A valid plastic, picture Drivers License or a Citizen Card will work. If you're trying to scan the appropriate Drivers License, place it on a dark surface. Hold the camera a little higher from the license and hold it long enough for your phone to scan it fully.

See this for the list of acceptable age verifications documents --> Age requirements for managing an Apple Account in the UK - Apple Support

I suppose you can throw your phone, but that really won't do much to help you. Finally, if you need help, contact Apple Support directly in the UK.

Spent an hour on the phone to Apple support Tec team They were useless. They just kept saying that I must have a credit card and drivers license or an ID card which we don’t have in the UK !! apparently I have to wait to see if they do another Update for it , it shouldn’t have been released in the UK until they put in British passport which is a main source of proof providing identity. I’ve got a government disability card which is chipped has a photo and my date of birth on the front but even that wasn’t good enough!

MartinRiverJuno wrote:

I have a paper driving license, debit cards and bus pass, none are excepted by Apple. As a 69 year old I find it farcical that they won’t except my sole methods of verification but they are quite happy to accept my debit card for the Wallet app.

The reason they won't accept a debit card is because, in the UK, debit cards can be issued to people under 18. Credit cards, on the other hand, cannot.

Anybody would think that they’ll accept that as it’s possibly revenue for them. What a total mess, no doubt that they won’t bother sorting this out as it would mean admitting a mistake.

Apple will lose a lot more revenue if the UK regulators stop letting them sell anything in the UK because they don't meet the requirements.

While I don't know the details of the law and how it needs to be implemented or why Apple is doing it the way they are, I do know that this wasn't Apple's idea. It was the UK government (or whatever goverment you're currently subject to).

GlasgowDave wrote:

Thanks for the info.

Age estimation using facial scanning is a valid form of age verification under the Online Safety Act. I’d think that an ‘Apple-like’ way to implement checks would be to use such a technique locally on the device. This is similar to how a cashier has to confirm that an individual visually looks over 25 in order to allow the purchase of alcohol (without further ID checks) in the UK.

Think about that. What would stop you or someone else from handing their phone to someone who is older to use their face for age verification. Also, what about teens who look older for their age? Apple would be subject to astronomical fines if they used something so easily faked and then a minor got access to inappropriate content.

I get this is frustrating. But Apple isn't going to open themself up to massive fines. And remember this is being mandated by the UK government. Apple certainly didn't wake up and say, "hey, how can we frustrate and upset our users in the UK, for fun?" People who are in this situation should be reaching out to their elected officials and vociferously complain. You elected them. You pay their salaries. They need to hear from their employer, the people who elected them.

lobsterghost1 wrote:

GlasgowDave wrote:

The UK government does not require device level age verification. That’s Apple’s choice.

Yes, yes it does. It requires account age verification to ensure minors cannot access inappropriate content. And just where are the accounts held? On devices.

In fairness to you, I did wonder similar things to you and read up on the relevant UK Act of Parliament. Currently it is the service providers who must ensure age verification rather than the device used to access such content. In this respect, Apple is extending the Age controls beyond what is legally required. The recent BBC News article on this subject wrote,

“Ofcom added new rules to the Online Safety Act in 2025 which forced tech firms to strengthen child safety protections, however that does not currently cover bringing in age checks at a device level.”

I’m sure Apple have reasons for doing what they did but UK legal requirement isn’t one of them.

GlasgowDave wrote:

The UK government does not require device level age verification. That’s Apple’s choice.

The UK Government specifically says Service Providers, so I think you may have misread the law. Apple does provide services such as Messages and iCloud on a device that are restricted without the age verification. Pictures that are sent using Messages that contain nudity will be blurred on that device. Also photos shared using the iCloud service will be blurred if they contain nudity.

Also note that the law allows for Ofcom to provide specific exemptions to a service, so if their intention was to exclude an iPhone/Mobile Device or the services offered on the device, they could have easily provided that exemption where you would see a provision that says "iPhone is exempt", but of course you will not find that.

Elfin_laggin1 wrote:

My provisional license I’m trying to scan I do all the tricks in the book no glare only natural light everything and like I said once it did scan it said failed but never told me why it failed.

Others have said their Provisional License did work. You have to be really patient and it may take a few attempts. Do make sure you have it laid flat on a dark background, like a black page of paper.

It's only been a few months since people in the US could add a passport to our Apple Wallets. It took a few tries with mine and infinite patience, but it finally scanned and up loaded.

If you can't get it done with your license, if you have an Apple Store anywhere near you, go there and let them help you.

Ok I’ve got a workaround in the UK get a Clearpay account get the app go into Store and download the card into your apple wallet and you can verify your account!!