How ID Oracle works in detail
Every layer of the verification process, explained — from the barcode on the card to the public records behind it.
Layer 1
Barcode scanning & AAMVA format validation
Every modern driver's license and state ID in the US carries a PDF417 barcode on the back. This barcode encodes the cardholder's data in a standardized format defined by AAMVA (the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators).
ID Oracle scans that barcode and parses it against the official AAMVA specification. If the barcode's structure, header, or data fields don't conform — a strong signal the card was produced by counterfeiting equipment rather than a state DMV — the app flags it immediately with a format warning before any records lookup even runs.
This catches many fakes at the door: a convincing-looking hologram and photo won't help if the barcode underneath is malformed or contains data that no real DMV would encode.
- 1Staff taps scan and points the camera at the PDF417 barcode on the back of the ID.
- 2ID Oracle decodes the barcode and checks its structure against the AAMVA specification.
- 3If the format is malformed or fields are missing, a warning appears instantly — no records lookup needed.
- 4If the barcode passes validation, the parsed data is sent to the review screen.
Layer 2
AI-powered data extraction
When a barcode isn't available or readable, ID Oracle falls back to camera capture. A photo of the ID is analyzed by AI vision to extract the cardholder's first name, middle initial, last name, date of birth, and address.
Extracted data is never submitted blindly — staff see every field in a review screen and can correct any misread character before the public records check runs. This keeps typos from producing false mismatches.
- 1Staff photographs the front of the ID or uploads an existing image.
- 2AI vision reads first name, middle initial, last name, date of birth, and address.
- 3Every field appears in a review screen — staff correct any misread characters.
- 4Only confirmed data is sent to the public records check.
Layer 3
Public records cross-reference
Once the data is confirmed, ID Oracle searches public records databases for people matching the name, date of birth, and address on the ID. Results are returned in seconds.
A real ID should produce records that align — the name and birth date appear in public data tied to that address or area. A fake ID often carries a real person's name but a wrong birth date, or a fabricated identity with no public footprint at all.
ID Oracle shows you every match it finds, highlights exact name matches, and flags discrepancies in date of birth so your staff can make the final call with full information.
It also flags when the real person's public-records address sits near your venue while the ID claims an out-of-state address hundreds of miles away — a strong sign the card is fake and the real identity lives locally.
Each match also lists known relatives, so staff can ask the cardholder a quick, unexpected question — "What's your mother's name?" — and compare the answer to the records. The cardholder doesn't know we have that data, so a correct answer confirms we've found the right person's record — useful on both positive and suspicious matches to lock in the identity.
- 1Verified name, birth date, and address are sent to public records databases.
- 2ID Oracle searches for matching individuals and returns results in seconds.
- 3Exact name matches are highlighted, with any date-of-birth discrepancies flagged.
- 4Matches with an address near your venue are flagged — a local record is a strong authenticity signal.
- 5Known relatives are listed so staff can ask the cardholder to confirm a family member's name — a correct answer confirms the right person's record.
- 6Staff review the matches and make the final call with full information.
Layer 4
MVA / DMV verification
Public records are powerful, but they pull from aggregated data sources that can lag behind real-time DMV records. A direct MVA / DMV verification confirms that a license number is valid and issued to the person presenting it — straight from the state's own database.
Available in 40+ states, with a live status dashboard showing which states are online, in maintenance, or unsupported. If a state's DMV is temporarily offline, the app tells you before you spend a scan.
It's an optional, per-scan upgrade — not a replacement for the standard flow, but an additional layer for high-stakes scenarios where you need the highest level of certainty before making the entry decision.
- 1Scan an ID's barcode, then tap “Verify with DMV” alongside the standard check.
- 2ID Oracle queries the issuing state's DMV database in real time via AAMVA's DLDV service.
- 3Confirms the name, date of birth, and license number match the state's official records.
- 4Each scan is $2.00, charged to the card on file — only when you need that extra certainty.
Team & staff
Team verification & shared scan pools
On Venue and Multi Venue plans, a venue owner creates a team and invites door staff to join via a unique join code. Staff download the app, enter the code, and are linked to the business.
All scans run against a shared scan pool — one subscription covers the whole team. The owner can add additional locations (each with its own geofence and trusted WiFi), enable or disable staff, and grant geofence bypass for off-site events.
Staff see only the scanning interface; they can't change billing, manage other members, or view business settings.
Every staff account works inside the geofence of every location on the account — so a single team can cover multiple venues without needing separate logins or codes.
- 1Venue or Multi Venue owner creates a team and generates a unique join code.
- 2Staff download the app and enter the code to link to the business.
- 3All scans draw from one shared pool — a single subscription covers the team.
- 4Owner manages locations, enables or disables staff, and grants bypasses as needed.
Location security
Geofencing — why and how
Geofencing restricts scanning to a radius around your venue (default ~1,000 ft). If a staff member is outside that radius, scans are blocked unless they have a bypass enabled.
This prevents subscription abuse — someone can't share a join code with friends and run scans from across town. It also ensures the tool is being used at the point of entry, where it matters.
If a device has no GPS signal and isn't connected to a trusted WiFi network, the scan is denied. This fail-closed rule prevents staff who work at multiple venues from running your paid scans at a different job site — most door staff bounce between locations, and without this lock they could quietly use your subscription anywhere.
- 1Owner sets a venue location and radius (default ~1,000 ft).
- 2Before each scan, ID Oracle checks the device's GPS against the geofence.
- 3If outside the radius, scanning is blocked unless a bypass is enabled.
- 4If there's no GPS and the device isn't on trusted WiFi, the scan is denied — preventing staff from using your scans at other venues.
Location security
Trusted WiFi bypass
GPS can be unreliable indoors — concrete, metal roofs, and basements all weaken the signal. To avoid false blocks, you can register your venue's WiFi network name (SSID) as "trusted."
If a staff member is connected to a trusted SSID, the geofence check is skipped entirely. This is faster and more reliable than GPS inside a building, and it confirms the device is physically at your venue (since WiFi range is short).
Per-staff WiFi bypass can be disabled for tighter enforcement — forcing those employees to pass the GPS geofence every time.
- 1Owner registers the venue's WiFi network name (SSID) as trusted.
- 2Before scanning, ID Oracle checks if the device is connected to a trusted SSID.
- 3If connected, the GPS geofence check is skipped entirely.
- 4WiFi bypass can be disabled per staff member for tighter GPS-only enforcement.
Venue & Multi Venue
Batch mode — scan up to 4 IDs at once
For high-volume venues, batch mode lets door staff queue up to four IDs at once instead of scanning and checking one at a time. Scan each barcode in sequence, review the fields, then run all checks with a single tap.
Results appear together in one batch view, so you can verify an entire group in the time it used to take for one. Available on Venue and Multi Venue plans.
- 1Queue up to 4 IDs by scanning each barcode or photo in sequence.
- 2Review the extracted fields for each ID side by side.
- 3Tap once to run all checks simultaneously.
- 4Results appear in a single batch view — verify the whole line at a glance.
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