Proof of address

Family VIII · Regulation

Not to be confused with kyc verification, anti money laundering check.

Proof of address is a documentary record that confirms where a person lives. Regulated brokers and financial institutions request it as part of customer due diligence, alongside proof of identity, to comply with anti-money-laundering and know-your-customer rules. The exact documents accepted, and how recent they must be, are set by the firm and by the regulator in its jurisdiction.

What counts as proof of address

Acceptable documents vary by firm and country, but common examples include:

A bank or credit-card statement showing the account holder's name and residential address.
A utility bill (electricity, gas, water, landline telephone) in the applicant's name.
A government-issued letter or tax notice, such as a council tax bill in the United Kingdom.
A tenancy agreement or mortgage statement.

Most firms require the document to be dated within a recent period, often three months, though this window differs between institutions. Mobile phone bills, receipts and handwritten correspondence are frequently excluded.

Why firms ask for it

Proof of address supports two separate checks. First, it helps confirm that the person exists at the stated location, which is part of identity verification. Second, it helps the firm meet anti-money-laundering obligations by building a record of who its customers are and where they can be reached.

Requirements are not universal. A broker regulated in one country may accept a broader or narrower set of documents than one regulated elsewhere, and some jurisdictions require additional evidence such as a tax identification number or a certified translation of foreign-language documents.

Worked example

An applicant submits a utility bill dated 12 March. The firm's policy requires proof of address dated within 90 days of the application date.

Checking document age

Application date1 June—

Document date12 March—

Age in days1 June − 12 March81 days

Within 90-day window?81 ≤ 90Accepted

If the same bill had been dated 1 February, the age would be 120 days and the document would be rejected as too old.

Often confused with

kyc verification: KYC verification is the process by which a financial institution confirms a client's identity and assesses risk before opening an account or executing transactions, using documents and checks that vary by jurisdiction and regulator.
anti money laundering check: An anti money laundering check is a set of identity, ownership and source-of-funds verifications that a regulated financial firm must perform on a client before and during a business relationship, as required by applicable AML legislation and supervisory rules.

Proof of address

What counts as proof of address

Why firms ask for it

Worked example

Often confused with

See also