Implementing Age Verification in WooCommerce with eIDAS

Corrected 20 October 2026: an earlier version of this post said the plugin lets you set the age threshold to 21 or a custom value; the verification backend currently enforces 18+ for every merchant. It also used the wrong plugin name and described settings the plugin does not have (a secret key, a demo/production switch, verification modes and validity, fallback behaviour, QR placement, retention and consent options). The guide now uses the plugin's real name, eIDAS Verify, and its real settings. We also corrected the prices to the current plans (Starter €79, Standard €279, Scale €679 per month), made clear that the live method today is bank eID through iDIN (Netherlands) with EU Digital Identity Wallet support in preview — not coverage of all 27 member states —, removed a claim that the EU General Product Safety Regulation mandates age verification (it does not), and clarified what an EU Digital Identity Wallet shares: its PID carries the date of birth, not an over-18 flag.

Why WooCommerce Stores Need Age Verification

If you sell age-restricted products online—alcohol, tobacco, vaping products, supplements, CBD, adult content, or gambling services—age verification isn't optional. It's a legal requirement across the European Union, and the penalties for non-compliance are severe.

The Legal Landscape

Germany: Selling alcohol to minors carries fines up to €50,000 and potential criminal charges.

UK: The Licensing Act 2003 imposes unlimited fines for selling alcohol without age verification.

France: Online alcohol sales require identity verification with fines up to €7,500 for violations.

EU-Wide: There is no single EU-wide age-verification law for these products. Minimum ages, and how they must be checked, are set by national law, so confirm the rules in each country you ship to.

Beyond legal compliance, implementing age verification protects your business from:

Chargebacks: Parents disputing purchases made by minors
Brand Damage: Negative publicity from selling to underage customers
License Revocation: Loss of permits to sell age-restricted products
Insurance Issues: Many insurers require proof of age verification systems

Age Verification Approaches for European Markets

Common Age Verification Methods

Most WooCommerce age verification plugins use one of these approaches:

Checkbox Self-Certification:

"I confirm I am over 18 years old"
Limited legal validity in most EU jurisdictions

Document Upload with Manual Review:

Users photograph and upload ID documents
Manual review team checks each submission
Processing time: 24-48 hours

Credit Card Verification:

Assumes card holders are adults
Not recognized as age verification in most EU countries

Third-Party Verification Services:

Various approaches and cost structures
Typically involves document upload or biometric verification

For WooCommerce stores primarily serving European markets, eID-based verification offers an alternative designed around EU privacy rules.

eID Verification for EU Markets

eID-based verification provides several benefits for European merchants:

No Manual Review: The customer confirms in their own banking app—no upload, no review queue

Privacy-by-Design Architecture: Your store never receives or stores identity documents

Bank-Verified Identity: iDIN relies on the identity the customer's bank has already verified

GDPR-Aligned: Minimal data collection reduces compliance obligations

Mobile-Native: Works in the phone browser and banking app where most shopping happens

Coverage Today: The live method is bank eID through iDIN, available to customers of participating Dutch banks. EU Digital Identity Wallet support is in preview in the plugin; it cannot go live until relying-party access certificates (WRPACs) can be obtained, and it is not yet a route to customers in all 27 member states.

Verification Flow Comparison

Document-Based Approach:

Customer adds age-restricted product to cart
Proceeds to checkout
Prompted to upload photo ID
Takes photo and submits
Waits for manual review (24-48 hours)
Returns to complete purchase once approved

Bank eID with eIDAS Verify (iDIN):

Customer adds age-restricted product to cart
Proceeds to checkout and fills in their first and last name (the verification button stays disabled until both are filled in)
Clicks the verification button shown above Place order
A popup opens their bank's iDIN login; they log in and approve sharing the 18+ result
The popup closes and the checkout shows the customer as verified
Completes purchase

With the EU Digital Identity Wallet method (preview), step 4 is a QR code in a modal instead, which the customer scans with their wallet app.

For international stores, many merchants implement geographic-based verification: eID for customers who can use it, alternative methods for everyone else. This dual-track approach optimizes for regional privacy requirements while maintaining global coverage.

Step-by-Step Integration Guide

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure:

WordPress 6.0 or higher
WooCommerce 7.0 or higher
PHP 8.0 or higher
HTTPS enabled
An eIDAS Pro account with an API key. Live verifications need an active paid plan (Starter or above); the free Community tier covers the open-source SDK and demo mode only.

Step 1: Install the eIDAS Verify Plugin

The plugin is called eIDAS Verify – Age & Identity Verification (its folder and text domain are eidasverify). Install it from the ZIP file provided by eIDAS Pro:

Navigate to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
Upload the ZIP file
Click Install Now
Click Activate

Alternatively, upload the eidasverify folder to /wp-content/plugins/ and activate the plugin from the Plugins menu.

Step 2: Create an API Key

Sign in to the eIDAS Pro client dashboard
Create an API key
Copy it—you will paste it into the plugin in the next step

The plugin authenticates with this single API key; there is no separate secret key. Treat the key as a credential and keep it out of version control.

Step 3: Configure the Plugin

Navigate to WooCommerce → Settings → eIDAS Verify in your WordPress admin.

General Settings

Enable Verification: Turns the verification step on at checkout

API URL: The address of the eIDAS Pro verification API

Verification Type: Age only. Country and combined checks are not available yet.

Verification Method:

eID (bank / government) — live: bank eID through iDIN. Choose this for live verifications today.
eIDAS 2.0 / EU Wallet — preview: the EU Digital Identity Wallet route, not yet live in production

Age Threshold: Fixed at 18+. The verification backend enforces the same threshold for every merchant, so the plugin has no age setting.

Authentication

API Key: Paste the key from Step 2. The settings page shows whether the key is connected and which plan it is on, and warns you if no key is set or the key has no active subscription. Test Connection checks the connection on demand.

Branding

Primary, text, background and border colours for the verification section, so it matches your theme. Leave the defaults to use the standard eIDAS blue theme.

Country Restrictions

Allowed Countries (Whitelist) and Blocked Countries (Blacklist) limit verifications to, or block them from, specific countries. Leave both empty to allow all countries.

Product and Category Rules

When verification is enabled, every product requires it unless you exempt it:

On a product's edit screen, the eIDAS Verify Settings box lets you skip verification for that product, or override the store-wide country rules for it
Each product category has a skip option, so you can exempt whole categories

What the Plugin Adds to Your Admin

A Verification column in the orders list and an eIDAS Verification box on each order
A Verifications page listing verification records, with search
An eIDAS Verify – Usage dashboard widget showing how much of your monthly verification volume you have used

The plugin supports both Classic and Blocks checkout.

How Long a Verification Is Reused

A successful verification is remembered—in user meta for logged-in customers, and in the WooCommerce session with a cookie fallback for guests—for a period set by your plan: 30 days on Starter, 90 days on Standard and 365 days on Scale. Within that period, a returning customer does not have to verify again.

Privacy Notice

Explain the check in your privacy policy and near the checkout. For example:

"To comply with EU regulations on age-restricted products, we verify your age using your bank's eID. This process is secure, quick, and does not require uploading documents. We receive only confirmation that you meet the age requirement—never your date of birth or any other personal data."

If you offer the EU Digital Identity Wallet method (in preview), say so in this text: the wallet shares the customer's date of birth once with eIDAS Pro, which reduces it to a yes/no and never stores it. A bank eID returns only the yes/no.

Step 4: Test the Checkout Flow

Before relying on it, test the flow end to end:

Pick or create a product that is not exempt from verification
Open your store in a new incognito/private browsing window
Add the product to the cart and proceed to checkout
Fill in the billing first and last name—the verification section appears above Place order
Try Place order before verifying: the plugin blocks it with "Please complete identity verification before placing your order."
Click the verification button and complete the bank login in the popup
Place the order and check that it shows as verified in the orders list

Each completed verification counts toward your plan's monthly volume.

Test Mobile Experience:

Open your store on a smartphone
Add the product and proceed to checkout
Tap the verification button and complete the bank login
Check that you return to the checkout with the verification complete

If the browser blocks the popup, the plugin shows a Continue verification link instead—check that path too.

Step 5: Go Live

There is no separate demo/production switch in the plugin. With Enable Verification on, the eID method selected and an API key on an active paid plan, the plugin performs real verifications.

Step 6: Tell Customers What to Expect

The verification section sits above Place order and uses your branding colours. Add a short line near it—or in a checkout notice—explaining the step, for example: "Secure age verification through your bank. No document uploads required."

Configuration Best Practices

Optimize Conversion Rates

Verify at Checkout: That is where the plugin places the check—when customers are most committed.

Exempt What Doesn't Need It: Use the product and category skip options so customers who buy only unrestricted products are not asked to verify.

Clear Communication: Explain the verification process before users encounter it:

"Age verification is required for this purchase. You'll confirm your age by logging in to your bank—no document uploads, and we only receive a yes/no."

Mobile-First: Ensure the mobile experience is flawless—most purchases happen on mobile.

Compliance Best Practices

Regular Audits: Review verification logs monthly to ensure compliance

Staff Training: Ensure customer support understands the verification process

Privacy Policy: Update your privacy policy to include age verification data processing

Records Retention: Decide how long you keep order records for your jurisdiction

Vendor Due Diligence: Document your verification provider's data-processing terms and sub-processors

Performance Optimization

Enable Caching: Use a caching plugin but exclude checkout pages

CDN Configuration: Ensure your CDN doesn't cache verification endpoints

Scripts Only on Checkout: The plugin loads its scripts on checkout pages only

Compliance Benefits

eID verification is built around data minimisation:

Data Minimization: Your store receives only a yes/no age result, never the birth date or other PII. A bank eID returns only that yes/no; a wallet PID shares the birth date once, and eIDAS Pro reduces it to yes/no before anything is stored

Purpose Limitation: Data is used solely for age verification

Storage Limitation: No identity documents are stored. The plugin keeps the outcome—verified, when, and until when it remains valid—with the order or customer

User Rights: Because only the outcome is stored, access and erasure requests involve very little data

Transparency: Explain the check before the customer starts it

Industry-Specific Regulations

Rules differ by sector and country, and no single method is automatically accepted everywhere. Before relying on bank eID for a regulated product, confirm with the competent authority or your legal adviser that it meets the local standard—for example the KJM's assessment of age verification systems under the German JMStV, Arcom's requirements for adult content in France, or Ofcom's guidance under the UK Online Safety Act.

What the plugin does give you is an audit trail: each order records whether and when the customer was verified.

Customer Experience Improvements

The difference between traditional and eID verification is stark.

Traditional Document Upload Experience

User Action: "Upload your ID"
User Thought: "Why do they need my ID? Is this safe? I'll do this later..."

Bank eID Experience

User Action: "Log in with your bank"
User Thought: "I just log in to my bank. No upload."

Customers appreciate:

Speed: No waiting for manual review
Privacy: No uploading sensitive documents
Convenience: Works with the banking app they already use
Trust: The answer comes from their own bank

Troubleshooting Common Issues

"Verification Session Expired"

Cause: The customer took too long to finish at their bank

Solution: Click the verification button again to start a new session

Customer Cannot Use iDIN

Cause: iDIN is offered by participating Dutch banks; customers without such an account cannot use it

Solution: The plugin has no built-in alternative method today. Decide how you serve these customers and say so on your product pages

Cause: The browser blocked the bank-login popup

Solution: The plugin shows a Continue verification link instead; if it keeps happening, ask customers to allow popups for your shop

Verification Button Disabled

Cause: The billing first and last name are not filled in yet

Solution: The button enables itself once both fields are filled in

Verification Does Not Start

Cause: No API key is set, or the key has no active subscription

Solution: Check the status shown in WooCommerce → Settings → eIDAS Verify and subscribe in the client dashboard if needed

"High Verification Failure Rate"

Cause: Users don't understand what's required

Solution: Add explanatory text, video tutorial, or FAQ before verification

Cost Structure for EU Market Age Verification

Document-Based Verification Services

Document-based verification services typically charge:

Setup fee: €500-2,000 Per verification: €1.50-3.00 Monthly volume (1,000 verifications): €1,500-3,000/month Annual cost: €18,000-36,000

Additional considerations:

Data storage and security compliance infrastructure
Customer support for verification issues
Variable conversion rates

eIDAS Pro Costs

Community (open-source SDK):

Free
SDK and demo mode only; no live verifications in your shop

Starter (75 verifications/month included):

€79/month, then €0.75 per additional verification
Annual cost: €948

Standard (350 verifications/month included):

€279/month, then €0.65 per additional verification
Annual cost: €3,348

Scale (1,000 verifications/month included):

€679/month, then €0.55 per additional verification
Annual cost: €8,148

See current plans and pricing for what each plan includes.

Example: Mid-Sized Dutch Wine Shop with 2,000 Age Verifications/Month

Document-based verification: €3,000-6,000/month at the per-verification rates above
eIDAS Pro (Scale plan): €679 + 1,000 × €0.55 = €1,229/month
Potential monthly saving: roughly €1,800-4,800

Cost-effectiveness depends on verification volume and on how many of your customers can use the available eID method.

For international stores, many implement a hybrid approach: eID for customers who can use it and alternative verification for everyone else, optimizing costs based on where customers are located.

Conclusion

Implementing eID-based age verification in WooCommerce turns compliance from a burden into a smoother checkout. You meet your verification obligations without asking customers to upload documents.

No document uploads, a yes/no result instead of identity data, and plan-based pricing make eID verification a strong option for WooCommerce stores selling age-restricted products—live today with iDIN for customers of Dutch banks, with EU Digital Identity Wallet support to follow once it can go live.

Setup is a plugin install, an API key and a handful of settings.

Ready to add eID verification to your WooCommerce store? See plans and pricing → or book a consultation to discuss your specific requirements.

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