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What types of government-issued IDs does Instagram accept for verification?
Executive summary
Instagram’s verification process asks applicants to submit a government-issued photo ID (examples repeated across guides include driver’s licenses, passports, and national ID cards) and, for Meta Verified in some regions, may also require a selfie video to confirm identity (see Meta’s own page and several 2025 guides) [1] [2] [3]. Public-facing how‑to guides and Meta’s help page consistently say the ID must match the profile name and photo and sometimes allow business documents for organizations [1] [4].
1. What Instagram / Meta explicitly say: the baseline requirement
Meta’s official Meta Verified page states applicants “may be asked to provide a government‑issued ID” and that, in selected regions, a selfie video can also be required to confirm identity; the ID must match the account name and photo [1]. That language is permissive — Meta says an ID “may” be requested rather than listing a closed set of accepted documents on that page, so the requirement is in practice conditional and regionally variable [1].
2. Common examples reported by journalists and how‑to sites
Multiple 2025 how‑to guides cite concrete examples of acceptable government IDs: driver’s licenses, passports, and national ID cards are the examples listed most often; business verification routes add business registration documents or tax filings for organizations [2] [3] [4]. These sources repeat the point that the photo ID must match the profile’s name and face [2] [4].
3. Paid verification (Meta Verified) — any special ID rules?
Meta Verified’s promotional/help copy reiterates that you “may be asked to provide a government‑issued ID” and that in some regions Meta may request a selfie video as an extra verification step before approving a Meta Verified subscription [1]. Guides explaining Meta Verified echo that subscribers must submit a valid photo ID that matches their profile [2] [5].
4. Business accounts and alternative documentation
When the account represents a business, several guides say Instagram/Meta accept business documents in addition to or instead of an individual government ID — examples cited include articles of incorporation, tax filings, utility bills, or official business registration paperwork [4]. These pieces of evidence are presented in secondary sources as standard practice for verifying organizations [4].
5. Important nuance and regional variation
Meta’s use of “may” and “selected regions” signals variability: what’s required or accepted can differ by country and product (traditional verification vs. Meta Verified). How‑to sites uniformly reflect that nuance by listing likely accepted documents rather than an absolute list, which implies that Instagram’s acceptance policy is not a single global checklist [1] [2].
6. What the available sources do not specify (limitations you should note)
Available sources do not publish a definitive, exhaustive list of every government‑issued ID type Instagram accepts; Meta’s page is intentionally non‑exhaustive and regional rules may apply [1]. Available sources do not provide a country‑by‑country matrix showing which documents are accepted where — they offer representative examples only [1] [4].
7. How applicants should act given these sources
Submit a clear, government‑issued photo ID — passport, driver’s license, or national ID card are the repeatedly cited, practical choices — and ensure the name and photo match your profile; if you’re a business, have organizational documents (articles of incorporation, tax filings, or other registration) ready [2] [4]. Be prepared in some regions to provide a selfie video for Meta Verified as an added authentication step [1].
8. Competing perspectives and implicit agendas to consider
Independent how‑to sites (Planoly, Hootsuite, Buffer, Later, Metricool) converge on similar examples and practical advice, but they are advisory rather than authoritative — they interpret Meta’s guidance for readers and may emphasize ease-of-access or marketing benefits of Meta Verified [6] [5] [4] [2] [7]. Meta’s own page frames ID collection as a security and trust measure to “confirm your identity” and to support a paid product (Meta Verified), which aligns with a commercial incentive to promote subscription uptake while positioning verification as a safety feature [1].
If you want a definitive, region‑specific list of accepted ID types for your account, Meta’s help pages and the verification flow in the Instagram app are the primary sources to consult; the reporting and guides cited here reflect common practice and examples but stop short of a guaranteed, exhaustive list [1] [2].