Proving your identity when opening an account
We must check the identity and address of new and existing customers. This is so that we can meet UK regulations to prevent criminals from using financial products or services for their own benefit. We will only ask for enough information to allow us to do business with you.
Why do you need to prove your identity?
Proving your identity helps to:
- protect you against identity theft
- prevent other fraudulent and money laundering activity and
- prevent activity which involves funding terrorists.
What do you need to provide?
We may be able to check your identity electronically by using reference agencies to search sources of information relating to you (an Identity search); this search will not affect your credit rating. We may also ask you to provide paper ID evidence.
- Existing customers - we'll tell you if you need to provide evidence of your name and address once we've received your application.
- New customers - you must include evidence of your name and address when making this application. We need one item from each table below unless you are a child over 7 opening a Smart account (see New Smart account customers below).
- New Smart account customers - If you're over 7 and are opening a Smart account, the account will be opened in your name. The evidence required to prove your name should be your birth certificate or a valid passport. As proof of your address, you will need your parent or guardian to provide one item from the proof of address table below.
Proof of name
| Evidence we need |
Apply at branch |
Apply by post |
| A full UK-driving licence (old style paper or new style photo card) |
Yes |
No |
| Valid full passport or EU member state ID card |
Yes |
No |
| UK-based bank or building society statement (which must be less than three months old) |
No |
Yes |
| UK-based bank or building society statement (which must be less than three months old) with debit, credit or cheque guarantee card. Don’t send this by post. |
Yes |
No |
| Letter from Benefits Agency (which must be less than 12 months old) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Birth or adoption certificate (under 18s only) |
Yes |
Yes |
Proof of address
We will need you to provide evidence for your current address and your previous address if you've moved during the last three months. If you're a child opening a Smart account in your own name (7 years and over), please ask a parent or guardian to provide one item as proof of address from this table.
| Evidence we need |
Apply at branch |
Apply by post |
| Mortgage statement (must be less than 12 months old) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Gas or electricity bill (must be less than three months old) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Phone bill (not mobile phone bill, must be less than three months old) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Water bill (must be less than 12 months old) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Council tax bill (must be less than 12 months old) |
Yes |
Yes |
Where a previous address is overseas, the following evidence is required.
| Evidence we need |
Apply at branch |
Apply by post |
| Overseas bank statement (less than 6 months old) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Overseas utility bill (less than 6 months old) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Certified copy of an overseas driving licence (copies can be certified by an embassy, consulate or high commission of the country of issue, by a Nationwide employee or by a lawyer or an attorney |
Yes |
Yes |
NB. If you want to open an account with Nationwide Building Society and live abroad, your main residence must be in the UK. For more information please follow this link to our non UK residents who are living and/or working abroad article.
Important note
We will return any documents you send us within seven days. If we cannot check your identity, we will not be able to process your application:
If you do not come from the European Economic Area
If you do not come from the European Economic Area, we may ask you to provide your passport for ID purposes.
Further help
If you cannot produce any of the items from the tables, please contact your nearest branch as there may be other forms of identification you can use.
Article ID: 1101