✓Quick Takeaways
- OnlyFans rejects two out of three verification attempts — prep your documents before you start
- You need a valid government ID (JPG/PNG, under 7MB), a clear selfie, and public social media with your face visible
- Ondato processes your ID in under 30 seconds — the 24-72 hour wait is OnlyFans' review queue
- Creators need full ID + selfie + payment details — subscribers only need a credit card (plus optional ID in 19+ regulated states)
- If verification fails, check your social media first — it's the #1 rejection reason we see
- Never submit more than 2-3 attempts without fixing the issue — multiple failures can blacklist your account
Two out of three OnlyFans verification attempts get rejected. That's not a scare tactic — it's real data. In March 2025, OnlyFans approved just 65,513 out of 179,194 verification requests. A 36.6% pass rate. Most rejections come from the same mistakes: bad ID photos, missing social media links, or not knowing what Ondato — the company actually checking your identity — needs from you. I've walked dozens of our creators through this process at B9. Some sailed through first try. Others failed five times before we figured out the issue — and it was almost always the social media requirement. This guide covers the exact steps, documents you need, common rejection fixes, and whether it's actually safe to hand your gov ID to a platform you found on the internet.
Why OnlyFans Requires Verification
OnlyFans doesn't ask for your ID because they're nosy. They're legally required to. Every adult content platform must verify that creators are 18+. It's federal law in the US, and the UK's Online Safety Act made it even stricter in 2025. OnlyFans's parent company — Fenix International — got fined 1.05 million GBP by Ofcom for getting their age verification wrong. They had the facial age estimation threshold set to 20 instead of 23 — meaning anyone who looked 20+ could slip through without extra checks. So now they're strict. They verify creators through a third-party company called Ondato, and they've tightened subscriber verification in 19+ US states too. Here's why they need your ID:
Legal compliance
US federal law and 19+ state laws require age verification for adult platforms. Texas alone charges $10,000 per day for non-compliance. Arizona can hit platforms with $250,000 fines if a minor gets through.
Fraud prevention
Verification stops impersonation, stolen identities, and underage accounts. OnlyFans processes over 179,000 verification requests per month — and rejects most of them.
Payment processing requirements
Banks and payment processors (especially Mastercard) won't process adult content payments without identity verification on file. No verified ID = no payouts.
What You Need Before You Start
Don't start the verification process until you have everything ready. Going in unprepared is how you end up in the 63.4% that get rejected. Here's your checklist:
Government-issued photo ID
Passport, driver's license, or national ID card. Must be current — expired IDs get auto-rejected. Both front and back need to be visible. Make sure the text is readable and all four corners are in frame.
A live selfie
OnlyFans uses facial recognition to match your face to your ID photo. You'll take this during the process — it's not a photo upload, it's a live camera capture. Good lighting, white or plain background, no sunglasses or hats.
A public social media account with your face
This is the one that catches most people. You need at least one public social media account that shows your face. Not a private account. Not a fake account. A real, public profile with photos that match your ID. Twitter/X works best.
Your legal name
The name on your OnlyFans must match your ID exactly. You can use a display name or stage name later, but verification needs your legal name. It won't be shown on your profile.
Banking details
A bank account or Paxum e-wallet for payouts. The name on the bank account should match your verified identity.
File requirements: JPG or PNG only, under 7MB per file. iPhones default to HEIC format — switch to JPG in your camera settings before taking ID photos, or the upload will fail silently.
The Step-by-Step OnlyFans Verification Process
Once you have everything ready, the actual process takes about 15 minutes. Here's exactly what happens:
“The biggest mistake creators make is not providing their social media accounts — or they're afraid to because they think they'll be shown on OnlyFans. But they're not shown on your profile at all.”
— Matej, B9 Agency
Create your account and verify your email
Sign up at onlyfans.com with a valid email. Check your inbox (and spam folder) for the verification link. Click it within 24 hours or it expires.
Fill out your profile basics
Add a profile photo, cover image, display name, and bio — our guide on how to craft a strong bio covers exactly what to include. The profile photo must be SFW — no nudity, no suggestive poses. This is the first thing OnlyFans reviews.
Enter your legal name and personal details
Your full legal name, date of birth, and address. This must match your government ID exactly. Typos or mismatches = automatic rejection.
Upload your government ID
Take clear photos of the front and back of your ID. Use good lighting. Make sure all four corners are visible and the text is readable. Your phone's rear camera gives much better quality than the selfie camera.
Complete the live selfie verification
Ondato's facial recognition will ask you to take a live selfie. Look directly at the camera, keep a neutral expression, and make sure your face is well-lit. This matches your face to your ID photo — it takes under 30 seconds.
Link your social media accounts
Connect at least one public social media profile that shows your face. Twitter/X is the most reliable option. Instagram works but sometimes gets flagged. The account must be public — private profiles get rejected every time.
Add your payment details and submit
Enter your bank account or Paxum details for payouts. Double-check that the account name matches your verified identity. Hit submit and wait.
How Long Does OnlyFans Verification Take?
The official answer is 24-72 hours. The real answer depends on how clean your submission is. Ondato — the company doing the actual ID check — processes your identity in under 30 seconds. The wait isn't the technology. It's OnlyFans's review queue. Most of our creators hear back within 24 hours when everything's in order. But I've seen cases where it took over a week — and one creator on Reddit reported waiting a full month after multiple failed attempts.
While you wait, don't just sit there. Start planning your content, set up your tip menu, and draft your first 5-10 posts. Check our getting started guide for exactly what to prep during the wait.
Ondato processes your identity check
Ondato
official OnlyFans review window
OnlyFans
of verification requests get approved
OnlyFans data, March 2025
Who Is Ondato? The Company Checking Your ID
When you submit your ID to OnlyFans, you're not actually sending it to OnlyFans. You're sending it to Ondato — a Lithuanian identity verification company that's been handling OnlyFans verifications since 2020. Most guides skip this entirely, but knowing who Ondato is answers the "is this safe?" question creators keep asking. Here's what they actually do:
Facial recognition matching
Ondato's AI compares your live selfie to the photo on your government ID. Their system has a 99.98% accuracy rate — meaning false rejections are rare, but they do happen.
Document authenticity checks
They verify your ID isn't expired, isn't a photocopy, and matches official databases. The entire check takes under 30 seconds on their end.
Age estimation technology
For subscribers in regulated states, Ondato uses facial age estimation — AI that guesses your age from a selfie. Their threshold was set to 20 (meaning if you looked 20+, you passed without ID). Ofcom caught OnlyFans claiming it was 23.
Ondato is ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified and GDPR compliant. They also work with banks, telecoms, and other regulated industries — OnlyFans isn't their only client. OnlyFans has also started using Yoti as a newer biometric verification alternative alongside Ondato.
Is It Safe to Give OnlyFans Your ID?
This is the question I get asked most. "Do I really have to give them my passport?" Short answer: yes, and it's about as safe as giving your ID to any regulated financial platform. Not zero risk, but the standard kind. For a complete look at OnlyFans safety risks and protections beyond just verification, we wrote a full guide. Here's what happens to your data:
Ondato handles the ID check — not OnlyFans directly
Your ID photo goes through Ondato's encrypted system for verification. Ondato says biometric data is deleted after the check completes. Your face scan doesn't sit in a database somewhere.
OnlyFans stores some data on their own servers
For creators, OnlyFans keeps your SSN (or equivalent tax ID) and passport number directly. This is required for tax reporting and payment processing — same as any platform that pays you money.
Subscriber data retention is limited
If you're a subscriber who verified via Ondato, your data is kept for 6 months after you close your account. Creator financial records stay for 7 years — standard for any payment platform.
Your ID is never visible on your profile
Your legal name, ID photos, and verification documents are never shown to subscribers or other creators. Only your display name appears on your page. This is the thing most creators don't realize.
Enable two-factor authentication immediately after verification. Use an authenticator app, not SMS. If someone compromises your account, 2FA is the last defense before they access your identity documents. For a deeper look at keeping your identity safe, read our creator privacy guide. And for location-specific concerns, check our location privacy breakdown.
How Creator Verification Differs From Subscriber Verification
People mix these up constantly. Creator verification and subscriber age verification are two completely different processes. Creators go through full identity verification before they can post anything. Subscribers — until recently — just needed a credit card. That changed when 19+ US states passed age verification laws forcing platforms to check subscriber ages too.
In regulated states, subscribers get hit with Ondato's face scan every time they open the app — sometimes every 10-20 minutes. One subscriber on Reddit spent $55,000 on OnlyFans over four years and left permanently over the ID requirement. For creators, this means fewer subs in states like Texas, Louisiana, and Kansas. You can't control it, but it explains why your subscriber count might dip with a US-heavy audience.
| Requirement | Creator Verification | Subscriber Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Government ID | Required (front + back) | Only in regulated states |
| Live selfie | Required (Ondato match) | Only in regulated states |
| Social media link | Required (public, with face) | Not required |
| SSN / Tax ID | Required (for payouts) | Not required |
| Bank account | Required (for payouts) | Not required |
| Credit card | Not required for verification | Required (passive age check) |
| Processing time | 24-72 hours | Instant or < 30 seconds |
| Re-verification | Occasional (name changes, flags) | Every session in some states |
Creator vs subscriber verification requirements on OnlyFans, 2026
Why Your OnlyFans Verification Failed (And How to Fix It)
Getting rejected doesn't mean you're done. Most rejections are fixable in under 10 minutes. I've had creators fail five times before getting through — and the fix was almost always the social media requirement. Here are the 12 most common rejection reasons and exactly what to do about each one:
1. Your social media is missing or private
The #1 reason. OnlyFans needs at least one public social media profile showing your face. Fix: create a public Twitter/X account, post 3-5 selfies, and link it to your application. A brand new account works — it just can't be private.
2. Your ID photo is blurry or dark
The most basic mistake. Fix: use your phone's rear camera (not the selfie camera), hold it steady, use natural light, and make sure all four corners of the ID are visible.
3. Your face doesn't match your ID
If you've changed your appearance significantly since your ID was issued — different hair, weight, aging — Ondato's facial recognition may fail. This hits trans creators hardest. Fix: get an updated government ID before applying.
4. Your ID is expired
Automatic rejection. No exceptions. Fix: renew your ID first.
5. Wrong file format
OnlyFans accepts JPG and PNG only, max 7MB. iPhones shoot in HEIC by default, which fails silently. Fix: go to Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible on your iPhone.
6. Name mismatch
The name on your OnlyFans profile must match your government ID exactly. Middle names, hyphens, and special characters all count. Fix: update your profile name to match your ID letter-for-letter.
7. Only one side of your ID uploaded
Passports need the photo page. Driver's licenses need front AND back. Fix: upload both sides.
8. VPN is interfering
VPNs cause location mismatches that trigger extra verification or rejection. Multiple Reddit users confirmed VPNs don't work for bypassing state requirements either. Fix: disable your VPN for the entire verification process.
9. Profile mentions restricted content
If your bio references escort services, in-person meetups, or off-platform payments, verification gets flagged. Fix: keep your bio clean during verification. Update it after approval.
10. Ondato's selfie loop keeps rejecting you
Some creators get stuck in a cycle — 50, 100, even 500+ rejected selfies. Fix: try a different device (Samsung vs iPhone matters), make sure your face is well-lit with a plain background, and if nothing works, file a support ticket directly with OnlyFans. Filing a complaint has actually bypassed the Ondato requirement for some creators.
11. Wrong state detected via mobile data
If your phone's 5G pings a cell tower in a regulated state — even if you don't live there — OnlyFans may flag you. Fix: use WiFi instead of mobile data during verification, and contact support to confirm your actual location.
12. Blacklisted from too many failed attempts
Multiple failed verifications can flag your account permanently. Fix: if you've tried 5+ times, delete the account and create a new one with a fresh email. Start from scratch.
“We've had creators fail five times before making it. It's usually just the social media — they're not providing public social media accounts with their face visible.”
— Matej, B9 Agency
Age Verification Laws Creators Should Know
The verification rules aren't just OnlyFans being cautious. They're responding to a wave of laws that carry real penalties. If you're a creator, these laws affect where your subscribers can access your page — and that directly hits your revenue.
OnlyFans is completely blocked in Afghanistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and UAE. If you're traveling to these countries, you won't be able to access your page — even with a VPN. For a full breakdown of what's legal and what isn't, see our guide to OnlyFans legality and taxes.
| Jurisdiction | Law | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Online Safety Act (July 2025) | 1.05M GBP fine (already enforced) |
| Texas | HB 1181 | $10,000 per day |
| Arizona | HB 2112 | $250,000 per violation |
| Louisiana | Act 440 (first US state) | Civil liability |
| 19+ other US states | Various age verification bills | Varies by state |
Age verification laws affecting OnlyFans, 2026. Source: state legislatures, Ofcom.
Mistakes to Avoid
✕ Using fake IDs
OnlyFans uses sophisticated verification. Fake IDs are detected and result in permanent bans.
✕ Rushing the photos
Take your time. Poor photos mean rejection and delays. A few extra minutes saves days of waiting.
✕ Lying about age
You must be 18+ to use OnlyFans. Age fraud is illegal and will result in account termination.
✕ Creating multiple accounts
One person, one account. Duplicate accounts are detected and banned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary
Verification is a speed bump, not a wall. Most creators who get rejected just need to fix their social media links or retake their ID photo. The 36.6% approval rate sounds rough until you realize most of those rejections are first attempts with obvious mistakes — blurry photos, private Instagram accounts, wrong file formats. Follow the checklist in this guide and you'll be in the minority that passes first try. Once you're verified, the real work starts. Check our starter guide for setting up your page, or see how an OnlyFans agency can handle everything after verification so you can focus on creating.
