England and Wales allow digital ID biometric age checks in pubs and bars

New legislation that takes effect this week permits licensed premises in England and Wales to use biometric technology to verify that customers are over 18, while still allowing traditional plastic identification. Under the law, pubs, off‑licences, nightclubs and restaurants may accept a digital age‑verification method in which a patron downloads an app, scans their face with a smartphone camera and receives a QR code that confirms their age based on stored proof‑of‑age data.

The government’s push to modernise age checks also includes consideration of a finger‑vein scanning device that could authenticate a drinker’s age, although that technology has not yet received regulatory approval. The new framework aims to streamline the verification process for younger drinkers, but retailers are required to continue accepting conventional photo IDs until any additional digital solutions are formally authorised.