Age verification with itsme: Belgium's eID app for age checks
How an itsme leeftijd check works: the age-over flags itsme returns, what the user sees, Belgian gambling and alcohol rules as far as they can be verified, the Netherlands, and routes for people without itsme.
In short
An itsme leeftijd check (age verification with itsme) works in two ways: the business asks itsme for the user's birth date, or for an age-over flag at 13, 16, 18, 21 or 30. The user approves the request in the itsme app.[3]
- The scheme "Belgian eID Scheme FAS / itsme" is notified under eIDAS at level High, and itsme had more than 8 million users in Belgium at the end of 2025.[1][2]
- People can hold itsme from age 13 since late 2025, per itsme, so checks at 13 and 16 are possible as well as 18 and 21.[2][3]
- We found no rule that forces a Belgian age-gated business to use itsme. Plan a second route for people without it.
Instead of asking a customer to photograph an identity card, an age-gated business in Belgium can ask an app many customers already hold to confirm one fact: that they are old enough.
This guide covers what itsme returns, what the user sees, the rules we could verify, routes for people without itsme and a combined design. Three terms first: eID means electronic identification, eIDAS is the European Union (EU) regulation that governs it, and FAS is Belgium's Federal Authentication Service, the federal login service.[4]
itsme at a glance
itsme is a private eID app run by Belgian Mobile ID SA/NV.
itsme
Belgium's eID app, also in the Netherlands since 1 June 2026
What an itsme leeftijd check returns
itsme shares data through OpenID Connect scopes that the user approves. Its developer documentation lists two kinds of age data: the birthdate claim in the profile scope, and a set of age-over flags that answer one question and nothing else.[3]
| Claim in itsme's docs | Use it for |
|---|---|
age_gte_13 | Terms with a minimum age of 13 |
age_gte_16 | Products with a 16+ limit |
age_gte_18 | Adult content and 18+ products |
age_gte_21 | 21+ products, such as games of chance |
age_gte_30 | A commercial rule of your own |
birthdate | Cases where you must record the date of birth |
Age claims in itsme's documentation.[3] The uses are our reading.
The same documentation lists the national register number, an address and a photo.[3] An age gate needs none of them. The European Commission's guidelines on Article 28 of the Digital Services Act (DSA) say age verification "should not entitle providers of online platforms to store personal data beyond information about the user's age group".[10]
Watch out
We confirmed which claims exist, not which scope carries each flag. Check itsme's current documentation, and ask for the one flag your threshold needs.
What the user sees
The user clicks the itsme button and lands on the itsme sign-in page. On a computer they scan a QR code; on a phone the app opens, or they type their phone number. The app shows which organisation asks for which data, and the user approves with the itsme code, a fingerprint or Face ID.[3]
Confirm your age
This product is for adults only.
Continue with itsme
Use an ID document instead
1The user picks itsme at the age gate.
Scan the QR code
On a phone, the app opens directly.
2The itsme page hands the request to the app.
Approve the request
Example Shop asks for your age data.
3The app shows who asks for what; the user approves there.[3]
Age confirmed
You can continue to checkout.
4Back on your site, with the age answer.
Behind the screens, your server receives an authorization code and exchanges it for tokens and claims.[3] You take the age decision from the claim.
The user approves in the itsme app
Simplified: an age check with itsme over OpenID Connect.[3]
Belgian rules for gambling and alcohol, as far as we could verify them
What we could and could not confirm on 5 October 2026:
| Use case | What we could confirm | itsme data that fits |
|---|---|---|
| Games of chance | Belgium raised the minimum age to 21 for all games of chance in 2024, according to Bird & Bird | The 21 flag |
| Gaming Commission (Kansspelcommissie) method | We found no published rule that names itsme, or any single method | Any route that proves 21 |
| Alcohol sold on online platforms | The Commission's DSA guidelines expect age verification for "the sale of alcohol, tobacco or nicotine-related products, drugs".[10] Belgian age limits: not verified in a primary source, so not restated here | The 16 and 18 flags exist |
| Gambling or pornographic content online | The same guidelines expect age verification; under-18 limits set in terms may use audited estimation[10] | The 18 or 21 flag |
The DSA guidelines say self-declaration is not an appropriate method. A method built on a trusted government-issued ID may be effective in so far as it rests on anonymised age tokens from an independent third party.[10] An age-over flag is close to that idea, but not double-blind: the itsme app names the organisation that asks.[3]
Note
Platforms should offer more than one age assurance method and a redress mechanism.[10] An itsme-only gate misses both.
See also age verification in the EU with eIDs and eID, wallets and age estimation compared.
itsme in the Netherlands since 1 June 2026
Belgian Mobile ID bought the Dutch bank identification service iDIN on 17 December 2025 and launched itsme in the Netherlands on 1 June 2026.[7][5] Dutch users register with a scan of a passport or identity card plus a selfie. itsme says more than 300 Dutch companies accept it.[5]
- 2017LaunchBelgium.
- 18 December 2019NotifiedEU list, level High.
- Late 2025From 13Open to minors.
- 17 December 2025iDIN boughtDutch bank service.
- 1 June 2026Dutch launchThe Netherlands.
From launch to the Netherlands.[1][2][5][7]
itsme publishes two end dates for iDIN: "phased out completely by the end of 2027" on its launch page, and "In 2028, itsme will fully replace iDIN" on its iDIN page.[5][6] Two points stay open: we could not confirm whether passport-registered accounts sit inside the notified High scheme, and this guide does not cover Dutch gambling or alcohol rules.
When the user has no itsme: the eID card and Smart-ID
Some visitors and other customers may not have itsme. Offer another route for people without an account, people without a smartphone and children under 13.
The Belgian identity card. The card is the other Belgian scheme on the EU list, notified at level High on 27 December 2018, and the federal login service rates a card sign-in as high.[1][4] For a private website the practical route is a document check: a photo of the card, a chip read over near-field communication (NFC) where possible, and a face match. The National Bank of Belgium notes, for anti-money-laundering checks, that the reliability of remote verification with the card can be lower than face to face, in so far as it allows no visual check, and may need a complementary measure.[11]
Smart-ID. Smart-ID is a private eID app from SK ID Solutions; its chief executive puts it at around four million users across more than 1,100 services, a figure for all its markets.[13] SK says its scheme "has been formally assessed at the high assurance level" in Belgium.[12] It is not on the EU list of notified schemes.[1] The user confirms a code in the app; some services show three to pick from.[14] We could not confirm an age-only flag or a Belgian user figure. See our Smart-ID integration guide.
Video pending: flow-app-code
An eID sign-in approved with a code in the phone app.
First choice
itsme
- Used by most Belgian adults, per itsme
- Age-over flag or birth date
- Scheme notified at level High
Reach in Belgium
Document route
Belgian eID card
- Works without an app account
- Age read from the document
- Add a face match
For people without itsme
Second eID
Smart-ID
- Private app by SK ID Solutions
- No age-only flag confirmed
- Assessed high, not EU-notified
For people who already hold it
Three routes to a verified age in Belgium.[1][3][12]
More in Belgian eID for business and the itsme integration guide.
A combined design for age verification with itsme
No single method covers every customer. The UK regulator Ofcom expects a challenge age when estimation is used: a user estimated under it "must then undergo a second age assurance step".[15] Australia's Age Assurance Technology Trial calls the same idea a waterfall: start with a low-friction method and escalate when the result is inconclusive near the threshold.[16] The DSA guidelines accept estimation for adult-restricted content only as a temporary alternative, where suitable verification is not yet readily available.[10]
1Set the threshold per product
13, 16, 18 or 21.
The product needs a verified age
Offer eID and document
itsme flag first, then Smart-ID or the eID card.
Estimate first
Borderline users go to an eID or a document.
2Decide and keep little
Store the result, not the identity data.
3Offer redress
A refused user gets another method.
Estimation first only where an estimate is enough.[10][15][16]
Two European pieces will change this design. On 29 April 2026 the Commission urged member states to roll out the EU age verification app by the end of the year; its proof of age "does not contain any identity data".[17][18] Belgium is not among the seven countries the technical portal lists as piloting it in 2026.[19] And every member state must offer a European Digital Identity (EUDI) Wallet by 24 December 2026.[20] See our guide to the EU age verification app.
How Didit helps with eID verification for age checks in Belgium
itsme is on Didit's roadmap. For Belgian users today, Didit runs three things in one workflow: a Smart-ID sign-in, the document route and age estimation.
Smart-ID is live on Didit for Belgium. The user picks it in the hosted flow or the SDK and approves a comparison code in the app; Didit never asks for the PIN. A sign-in returns the full name, the date of birth, a personal code, the level of assurance (High) and a signature check, with no address and no portrait. A signed date of birth proves age without a document photo. Turn it on in the console (Workflows, ID Verification, Countries, Wallets accepted) or the workflows API, as the digital ID wallets docs describe. Only completed eID sign-ins are billed.
Screenshot pending: hosted-flow-smartid-code
The Smart-ID comparison code in the Didit flow.
Everyone else uses document capture with NFC chip reading ($0.15), liveness and face match; a full KYC (know your customer) check costs $0.33. Where an estimate is enough, age estimation costs $0.10 per check, runs with passive liveness and has a mean absolute error of 3.5 years overall and 1.5 years under 18. Adaptive Age Verification sends borderline results to an ID verification fallback with a face match to the age selfie. We recommend estimation first and an eID or a document for borderline cases; see age verification. EUDI Wallet acceptance is coming soon, as the EUDI Wallet page explains.
| Route | Who it serves in Belgium | What you get for age | Didit status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart-ID | People who already hold Smart-ID | A signed date of birth | Live |
| Document route | Anyone with an identity document | The document's date of birth, with a face match | Works today |
| itsme | Most Belgian adults, per the operator | Age-over flags, per the scheme's docs | Coming soon |
Didit provides
- Smart-ID sign-in with a signed date of birth
- Document checks with chip reading and face match
- Age estimation with a document fallback
Stays with you
- The age threshold for each product
- The choice of methods and the challenge age
- The decision to admit or refuse a customer
Bring itsme to your age checks
Tell us where your users sign in, and start with Smart-ID and the document route today.
Key takeaways
- itsme's docs list a birth date and age-over flags for 13, 16, 18, 21 and 30; an age gate should ask for one flag.
- The scheme "Belgian eID Scheme FAS / itsme" is notified under eIDAS at level High; itsme says people can hold the app from 13 since late 2025.
- Belgium's minimum age for games of chance is 21, according to Bird & Bird; we found no rule that names itsme as the method.
- Offer a second route: the identity card with a face match, or Smart-ID.
Frequently asked questions
How does an itsme leeftijd check work?
The business redirects the user to the itsme sign-in page with a request for an age claim. The app shows which organisation asks for which data, and the user approves with the itsme code, a fingerprint or Face ID.[3]
From what age can someone use itsme?
From 13. itsme says it opened the app to minors aged 13 and up in late 2025, and its documentation lists an age-over flag for 13. Younger users need another route, such as a document check.[2][3]
Do Belgian gambling sites have to use itsme?
We found no rule that says so on 5 October 2026. Belgium raised the minimum age to 21 for all games of chance in 2024, according to Bird & Bird, and we found no published Gaming Commission rule that names itsme or any single method.
Can I use itsme to check age for online alcohol sales?
itsme's documentation lists flags for 16 and 18, so the data exists. The Commission's DSA guidelines expect age verification on online platforms for the sale of alcohol. We could not verify the Belgian age limits in a primary source, so confirm your threshold first.[3][10]
Is itsme eIDAS High?
The scheme is. The EU list of notified schemes shows the "Belgian eID Scheme FAS / itsme" at level High, notified on 18 December 2019, with the itsme mobile app as its eID means. The FAS privacy notice rates an accredited key such as itsme as high with a PIN or substantial with biometrics.[1][4]
Does itsme work for age checks in the Netherlands?
itsme launched in the Netherlands on 1 June 2026, and itsme says more than 300 Dutch companies accept it. We could not confirm whether those accounts sit inside the notified High scheme.[5]
What if a customer has no itsme?
Offer a second route: a document check on the Belgian identity card with a face match, or Smart-ID for people who hold it. The DSA guidelines say platforms should offer more than one method anyway.[10]
Is facial age estimation enough on its own?
It depends on the risk. The DSA guidelines accept estimation where terms set a minimum age under 18 or risks are medium, and expect verification for gambling content, pornographic content and alcohol sales. Ofcom expects a challenge age and a second step for users estimated under it.[10][15]
Sources
- Overview of pre-notified and notified eID schemes under eIDAS, European Commission, read 5 October 2026.
- itsme grows to eight million users and strengthens its position as a European player, Belgian Mobile ID, 17 March 2026.
- Data sharing, itsme developer documentation, Belgian Mobile ID.
- FAS privacy notice, FPS BOSA.
- itsme launches in the Netherlands, itsme.
- itsme and iDIN, itsme.
- Nederlandse identificatiedienst iDIN overgenomen door itsme, iDIN, 17 December 2025.
- Loi du 18 juillet 2017 relative à l'identification électronique, etaamb.
- Arrêté royal du 22 octobre 2017, FPS BOSA.
- Guidelines on Article 28 of the Digital Services Act (C/2025/5519), European Commission, July 2025.
- Identification et vérification de l'identité, National Bank of Belgium.
- 2025: advancing digital trust beyond borders, SK ID Solutions, 19 January 2026.
- Trust and competition in digital identity in Europe, e-Estonia, interview with SK's CEO, 2026.
- One confirmation code or three, Smart-ID help.
- Guidance on highly effective age assurance (Part 3 services), Ofcom, 24 April 2025.
- Age Assurance Technology Trial, Part A main report, Australian Government, 2025.
- Commission urges Member States to roll out the EU age verification app, European Commission, 29 April 2026.
- Commission releases enhanced second version of the age verification blueprint, European Commission, 10 October 2025.
- EU age verification solution, technical portal, ageverification.dev, read 5 October 2026.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 (eIDAS 2), EUR-Lex, Official Journal of 30 April 2024.
The eID verification page shows how national eIDs, the document route and age checks sit in one workflow.
Age checks for Belgium in one workflow
Start with age estimation, Smart-ID and the document route, and tell us which eIDs you need next.
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