first direct Certified Copy of ID and Proof of Address: Remote & Online UK Solicitor Certification Guide (2026)

If first direct asks you to provide a certified copy of ID or a certified copy of proof of address, the safest approach is to follow first direct’s own published document rules closely. first direct says customers may either upload documents online or send certified photocopies by post, depending on what first direct has asked for.

What first direct usually asks for

first direct explains that it may ask for documents to confirm your identity and address, both for new applications and, in some cases, for existing customers where it needs updated information. It says this is part of its legal obligation to keep customer information up to date and help prevent fraud and financial crime.

For account opening, first direct says customers typically need proof of identity and proof of address, and in some cases may also need proof of income.

Certified copy of ID for first direct

According to first direct’s published guidance, acceptable proof of identity includes:

• passport
• UK photocard driving licence

It also says a current full or provisional UK photocard driving licence may be used for both identity and address in the circumstances it accepts. first direct also states that a Biometric Residence Permit cannot be used as proof of identity for this purpose.

If you are sending documents by post rather than uploading them online, first direct says the photocopy must be certified by an independent professional person who has seen the original.

Certified copy of proof of address for first direct

first direct says it generally needs different documents for identity and address, unless you are using a full or provisional UK photocard driving licence that it accepts for both.

Its published list of acceptable proof of address includes:

• current full or provisional UK photocard driving licence
• Council Tax bill for the current billing year, or reminders / demand letters within the last 4 months
• utility bill, such as gas, electricity, oil or broadband, dated in the last 4 months
• water rates bill for the current billing period, or reminders / demand letters dated in the last 4 months
• landline phone bill dated in the last 4 months
• Sky or cable TV bill dated in the last 4 months
• UK bank, building society or credit union statement, excluding first direct, dated in the last 4 months and showing active transactional history
• UK mortgage statement from a recognised lender, excluding first direct, dated in the last 12 months and showing active transactional history
• HMRC tax notification or summary dated in the last 4 months
• Benefits Agency letter dated in the last 4 months
• UK credit card statement, excluding first direct, dated in the last 4 months and showing active transactional history, with summary pages not accepted.

first direct online upload vs postal certified copies

first direct says there are two ways to send documents:

1. upload online, or
2. post certified photocopies.

If first direct sends you an online upload link for ID, or for ID plus address, it says you can upload your documents and selfie through its secure process, and documents do not need to be certified if uploaded online.

If you prefer to send documents by post, first direct says it cannot accept originals, so it requires certified photocopies instead.

Who can certify documents for first direct?

first direct says the certifier must be from one of its accepted professions, registered and based in the UK. Its published list includes a solicitor, chartered accountant, chartered legal executive, independent financial adviser, licenced conveyancer, dentist, GP, midwife, nurse, optician, and pharmacist. It also says the certifier must be active in their profession, and cannot be a relative or someone living at your address.

That means a UK practising solicitor in England and Wales is one of the recognised options for certifying first direct document copies.

What wording does first direct require?

first direct publishes specific certification wording.

For documents with a photo, the certifier should write:

“I [full name of certifier] confirm this is an accurate copy of the original and the photo is a true likeness of [full name of customer].”

For documents without a photo, the certifier should write:

“I [full name of certifier] confirm this is an accurate copy of the original of [full name of customer].”

first direct also says each certified copy should include the certifier’s:

• signature
• full printed name
• occupation
• company or professional address
• phone number
• professional registration number if they have one
• date of certification.

If the document has more than one page, first direct says the main certification wording should appear on the first page, and the certifier should sign and print their name on each page.

Timing points that matter for first direct

first direct says any document sent must be current and valid, and not due to expire in the next 30 days. It also says certified copies must generally be dated and certified within 3 months.

That is one of the main reasons certified copy packs get rejected: the wording may be incomplete, the certifier details may be missing, or the certification may be too old for the bank’s stated rules. This is an inference based on first direct’s published document conditions and certification checklist.

How Ginkgo Advisory can help with first direct document certification

At Ginkgo Advisory, we assist clients who need a certified copy for first direct and want the certification prepared in a format aligned with first direct’s published requirements.

This can include:

• remote & online certified copy of passport for first direct
• remote & online certified copy of UK driving licence for first direct
• remote & online certified copy of proof of address for first direct
• remote & online certified copy of bank statement, utility bill, Council Tax bill, HMRC letter, or mortgage statement, where the document type fits first direct’s published list and timing rules.

Where a client is posting documents rather than using first direct’s online upload route, solicitor certification can help present the copies clearly and professionally, with the required certification wording and certifier details included. first direct expressly recognises solicitors as one of the professional categories that may certify documents.

Important note

Whether first direct will accept a particular document pack always depends on its own current internal review process and the exact request it has sent to you. If first direct has provided an online upload link, that route may be simpler because its own FAQ says online uploads do not need certification. If it has asked you to send copies by post, then its published guidance says those copies must be certified.