What documents are accepted as proof of address?

Accepted documents include utility bills (electricity, gas, water) less than 3-6 months old, tax assessments, home insurance certificates, rent receipts, and fixed-line phone or internet bills. Mobile phone bills are generally not accepted.

How long is a proof of address valid?

A proof of address must typically be less than 3 months old for most administrative procedures. Some banking or real estate processes accept documents up to 6 months old, depending on local regulations.

Can a bank statement be used as proof of address?

Bank statements are generally not accepted as primary proof of address. Some institutions accept them as supplementary evidence alongside another document, but they are not part of the standard accepted documents list.

How does CheckFile verify proof of address documents?

CheckFile uses AI to analyse document conformity in under 5 seconds. It verifies document type, issuance date, name/address consistency, and detects signs of forgery, compared to an average of 12 minutes for manual verification.

Why do banks require proof of address?

The requirement stems from KYC (Know Your Customer) and anti-money laundering regulations. Financial institutions must verify client identity and domicile before establishing any business relationship.

What if I don't have a proof of address in my name?

If you are hosted by someone, you can provide a sworn hosting certificate along with the host's ID copy and a proof of address in their name. This combination is recognised by most institutions.

Is a foreign proof of address accepted?

Foreign proof of address documents may be accepted under certain conditions: they must be translated by a certified translator and, in some cases, apostilled. CheckFile supports multi-language document analysis for international businesses.

Is CheckFile GDPR compliant for processing proof of address?

Yes, CheckFile is fully GDPR compliant. Documents are analysed in real time and are not stored after processing. All personal data is encrypted, and CheckFile is hosted in Europe with ISO 27001 certification.

Document verification

Proof of Address: Automated Verification with AI

Automate proof of address verification in under 5 seconds. CheckFile analyses compliance, detects forgery, and validates information for your KYC processes.

< 5s

per verification

99.7%

accuracy

12 min

saved per file

What is a proof of address?

A proof of address is an official document attesting to the residential address of a natural or legal person. It is a mandatory document in nearly all identification procedures across Europe.

In France, Article 22 of Decree No. 2015-1740 of 24 December 2015 defines the list of documents accepted as proof of address. This text, complemented by the European Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD), strictly frames the requirements of financial institutions, administrations, and businesses subject to KYC obligations.

In practice, a proof of address must be a document issued by a third party (energy supplier, tax authority, landlord) and dated less than 3 to 6 months depending on the procedure.

90,500

monthly searches in France for "justificatif de domicile"

Accepted proof of address documents

Based on French Decree No. 2015-1740 and financial institution practices, here are the recognised and non-recognised documents.

Accepted

Electricity or gas bill

Less than 6 months old, in the applicant's name

Water bill

Less than 6 months old, in the applicant's name

Rent receipt

Issued by the landlord or letting agency

Home insurance certificate

Current year, mentioning the address

Internet or landline bill

Less than 6 months old, fixed subscription only

Tax assessment notice

Latest notice received, any tax year

Rejected

Mobile phone bill

Not recognised by Decree No. 2015-1740

Bank statement

Only accepted as supplement by some banks

Sworn statement alone

Insufficient without host's proof of address

Verification in 3 steps with CheckFile

From document reception to compliance verdict, the process is fully automated.

Upload

The proof of address is uploaded via REST API, web form, or business connector (Salesforce, HubSpot). Accepted formats: PDF, JPG, PNG, HEIC.

AI Analysis

AI extracts data (name, address, date, issuer) via OCR, verifies document type, checks validity date, and detects forgery signs.

Instant Result

CheckFile returns a compliant/non-compliant verdict with detailed verification results, a confidence score, and structured JSON data.

Who requires proof of address?

Proof of address is required across many sectors subject to regulatory identity verification obligations.

Banks and financial institutions

KYC/AML obligation for account opening, credit granting, and sensitive operations.

Real estate and property management

Tenant file verification, real estate transactions, inventories. Part of mandatory tenant application files.

Insurance

Home, auto, and health policy subscriptions. Address determines pricing and geographic coverage.

Telecommunications

Fixed and mobile subscription sign-ups. Operators verify domicile for billing and delivery.

Public services and administrations

Electoral registration, ID card, passport, vehicle registration applications.

Regulatory compliance

Decree No. 2015-1740Official list of accepted proof of address documents

AMLD 6 (EU)European anti-money laundering directive

Art. L.561-5 CMFKYC obligations for financial institutions

GDPRPersonal data protection

Frequently asked questions about proof of address

Related resources

KYC verification for banks Document verification features ROI Calculator API integration guide

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