The first version of Check ID was launched in 2017 as a simple way of validating if a given South African ID number is valid.
It used a Luhn checksum validator and could tell users whether the ID number is valid, and the person's birth date, gender, and citizenship status.
The application was very simple to use but it was not pretty, not user friendly, and slow.
Users found value in the validation itself and the page quickly started ranking on Google. We saw many users returning to the site multiple times per week to use the validation.
Back then we also had a mobile app for Android, which was featured prominently on the website.
We continued to make small occasional variations to the website, improving the experience step by step while keeping the core promise the same: fast structural validation without storing ID numbers.
From a simple tool to CheckID.co.za
What started as a basic validator grew into the platform you see today—still focused on structural checks, POPIA-aware design, and zero ID data storage on our servers. If you are validating South African ID numbers in 2026, you are using a service shaped by nearly a decade of real-world use.
Validate South African ID numbers today
CheckID validates the structure of a South African ID number without storing the number or decoded result on our servers. Start free with 10 verifications.