Verify your identity
What checks do we perform on you?
When you open a business account with us we will ask for proof of your name and address. We may also do this for existing customers in certain circumstances. This is so we can protect against identity fraud and comply with anti-money laundering regulations.
Our preferred way to identify you is through a Financial Crime Prevention Agency. If we cannot do this, or if you are under 18, we will contact you to ask for more identification.
What do we need from you?
You will need to give us one type of proof of identity and one type of proof of address. If you open an account with us less than one year after the last account that you opened, we will not need to perform a check again. If it has been longer than a year since you last opened an account with us, we will perform a check to confirm your identity. This is an identity check in all cases and does not affect your credit score.
If we ask you to give us a copy of your ID, we will ask for the original document or a certified copy. Documents must be certified within the last 12 months using the following words: ‘I confirm that I have seen the original document’.
Who can certify your documents?
Documents can be certified by:
- Legal professional (solicitor registered in England and Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland, barrister registered in England and Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland or notary public registered in any country)
- Qualified accountant (registered with either ICAEW, ICAS, CAI, ACCA, AAT CIPFA or CIMA)
- Medical professional (doctor registered with the General Medical Council, dentist registered with the relevant national professional body, qualified nurse registered to NMC)
- Post Office official (must include Post Office stamp or Post Office certificate)
- Embassy official (an embassy, consulate or high commission officer in the country of issue of the relevant document)
The person certifying should be in current employment, but we’ll also accept certification from a person who has retired (unless the list above specifies that the person must be serving), as long as they still hold the qualification and are a member of the relevant institute.
The person certifying your identification must not be related to you in any way (for example: spouse, partner, sibling, parent, child or in-law) and they must not be named as a joint account holder/borrower on your mortgage.
You cannot certify your own documentation.
If you have a non-UK passport, this can only be certified by a UK bank or Building Society Manager (not an employee of Bath Building Society), Solicitor or Embassy official.
What do I need on my certified documents?
The certifier must sign their name and include these details:
- full name
- profession
- business address (if applicable)
- phone number
- today’s date (i.e. the date they certify the document)
If the ID has a photograph of you, it must be certified as being a good likeness of you. We may contact the person that has certified your documents. We will not usually return original documents by special delivery post. You should always be careful when sending any original documents in the post. If we ask you to give us proof of identity, you can give us:
| To confirm who they are | Branch | Post | |
| Passport (UK or foreign) – current, valid and full | Original | Certified copy | Photograph of the original and a photograph of them holding the original Passport. |
| Valid (UK) photocard driving licence (full or provisional) | Original | Certified copy | Photograph of the front side of the original and a photograph of them holding the original photocard |
| Full old style paper driving licence (UK) – current, signed | Original | Certified copy | Not accepted via Email |
| Armed Forces ID card – current | Original | Certified copy by Commanding Officer | Photograph of the front side of the original and a photograph of them holding the original photocard. |
| Home Office issued UK biometric residence permit listing full name and date of birth. | Original | Certified copy | Photograph of the original and a photograph of them holding the original bioPassport. |
| Firearms certificate or shotgun licence. | Original | Certified copy | Not accepted via Email |
| HMRC tax document – less than one year old | Original | Original | Not accepted via Email |
| DWP pension entitlement letter – valid for the current year | Original | Original | Not accepted via Email |
| Birth certificate/adoption certificate (under 18s only) | Original | Certified copy | Not accepted via Email |
| NHS medical card/document, showing holder’s name, DOB, NHS number (under 18s only) | Original | Original | Not accepted via Email |
If we ask you to give us proof of address, it must show your current living
address. You can give us:
| To confirm their name and address | Branch | Post | |
| Full or provisional UK photocard* or old style paper driving licence** – current, signed | Original | Certified copy | Photograph of the front side of the original and a photograph of them holding the original photocard. Or Photograph(s) of all of the paper licence. |
| Bank/building society statement or credit card statement. | Original | Original | Photograph of the original |
| Bank/building society mortgage statement. | Original | Original | Photograph of the original |
| Solicitors letter confirming recent house purchase or land registry confirmation | Original | Original | Photograph of the original |
| Council/local authority tax bill | Original | Original | Photograph of the original |
| HMRC tax document – less than one year old | Original | Original | Not accepted via Email |
| Utility bills (i.e. gas, electricity, water) or cable/satellite/phone bill | Original | Original | Photograph of the original |
| Rental or tenancy agreement issued by local authority | Original | Original | Not accepted via Email |
| Letter from Registered Care Home addressed to the Society and less than 3 months old | Original | Original | Not accepted via Email |
| NHS medical card/document, showing holder’s name, DOB, NHS number (under 18s only) | Original | Original | Not accepted via Email |
In addition, please note:
For incorporated businesses, a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation will be required.
For partnerships where there are more partners than named signatories on the account, a letter will be required, signed on behalf of the firm, advising the names of the signatories, and the number required to operate the account. This letter must be signed by a Partner who is NOT one of the named signatories.
For existing or new partnerships we will need a copy of your partnership agreement.
Accepted Charities must include a copy of the charity Constitution, a letter from the governing body stating their intention to open an account, the names of the signatories and the number required to operate the account.
Trusts: for tax purposes all trustees and beneficiaries must be residents only in the UK and be UK citizens. All Trust applications will also need to share a copy of the trust deed.
Pensions: Personal details of all named members or signatories are required, which includes name, address, NI Number and date of birth. All pension account applications will also need to share a copy of the pension deed, scheme details and HMRC pension scheme tax reference confirmation.
We do not encourage you to send original documents in the post. Please note it is not our company policy to return original documents via special delivery services.
