Find answers to common questions about SA ID Checker
General
What is SA ID Checker?
SA ID Checker is an online tool that validates South African ID numbers. It verifies the format, checks the Luhn algorithm checksum, and extracts demographic information like date of birth, gender, and citizenship status.
Does this service verify if an ID number is officially registered?
No. Our service validates the mathematical structure of ID numbers using the Luhn algorithm. It does not connect to the Department of Home Affairs database, so it cannot verify if an ID number has been officially issued or belongs to a specific person.
What information can be extracted from a SA ID number?
A valid SA ID number contains: date of birth (first 6 digits), gender (digits 7-10), citizenship status (digit 11), and a checksum digit (digit 13). Our tool extracts and displays all this information.
How accurate is the validation?
Our validation is 100% accurate for format and checksum verification. If an ID number passes our validation, it has a mathematically valid structure. However, this doesn't guarantee it was officially issued.
Privacy & Security
Do you store the ID numbers I validate?
No. All validation happens server-side but we do not log or store any ID numbers. We only track anonymous usage counts for rate limiting purposes.
Is SA ID Checker POPIA compliant?
Yes. We've designed our service with privacy as a core principle. We don't store personal information from validations, and we provide guidance on POPIA compliance for businesses using our service.
Is my data secure?
Yes. All connections use TLS/SSL encryption. We don't store ID numbers, and any account data is securely stored with industry-standard security measures.
Pricing & Plans
Is SA ID Checker free to use?
We offer 5 free validations for anonymous users. Create a free account to get 50 validations per month. Paid plans offer higher limits and API access.
What's included in the free account?
Free accounts get 50 validations per month, access to single and bulk validation tools, and validation history.
Do I need a paid plan to use the API?
Yes. API access is available on Business and Enterprise plans. This allows you to integrate ID validation into your own applications.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time. You'll retain access until the end of your billing period, then your account reverts to the free tier.
Technical
What is the Luhn algorithm?
The Luhn algorithm (also called the modulus 10 algorithm) is a checksum formula used to validate ID numbers, credit card numbers, and other identification numbers. SA ID numbers use this algorithm for their final digit.
How do I use the API?
After subscribing to a Business or Enterprise plan, generate an API key from your dashboard. Include this key in the X-API-Key header of your requests. See our API documentation for full details.
What's the API rate limit?
Business plans allow 100 requests per minute. Enterprise plans have custom limits based on your needs. Contact us for high-volume requirements.
Do you support bulk validation?
Yes. All plans include bulk validation through our web interface. API users can also submit multiple ID numbers in a single request (up to 1000 per request).
Still have questions?
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