Advising on 'right to rent' documents in England

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General requirements that apply to all document checks

This page explains the document checks landlords must complete for each occupier to confirm that they have a right to rent or are a ‘relevant national’. These checks apply to anyone renting privately in England, including lodgers, even if they rent from a social tenant. They also apply to housing associations for lettings that are not local authority nominations. To avoid unlawful discrimination, housing associations must request only the documents listed on this page and must not apply the higher standard used for local authority nominations.

An ‘occupier’ means the tenant or prospective tenant, and anyone aged 18 or over who has permission to live with them in the property. If there is more than one occupier, each must be checked separately. ‘Landlord’ means the landlord or letting agent responsible for the check.

Checks can be carried out manually or digitally online, depending on the immigration documents issued to the occupier. Foreign nationals with an e-Visa must use the digital service. British and Irish citizens do not need travel documents to live in the UK, so their checks must be manual. For either type of check, the landlord must check the occupier’s documents and meet the additional requirements set out below to avoid a possible penalty.

If the occupier has applied for leave, or their documents are lost or held by the Home Office, the landlord must use the Landlord Checking Service.

Additional requirements for manual document checks

For every document check, the landlord or agent must:

• record the date of the check
• take reasonable steps to identify any additional occupiers
• take reasonable care to ensure the document is genuine and, unless stated otherwise below, original
• if the document includes a photograph, be satisfied that it shows the occupier
• if the document includes a date of birth, check that it is consistent with the occupier’s appearance
• if the document is not a passport or other official travel document, take a clear, legible and unalterable copy of the whole document
• if the document is a passport or travel document, other than a card, take a clear and legible copy of the pages showing the holder’s personal details, nationality, photograph and signature, as well as any pages showing the document’s expiry date and the holder’s right to enter or remain in the UK, and
• keep the copy for at least one year after the tenancy ends.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf) art. 3(a), art. 5

Additional requirements for digital checks

Where the occupier has an e-Visa, the landlord can only use the ‘right to rent online checking service’ to verify the occupier’s status. The occupier applies for an online share code which the landlord can use to view their documents, including their photograph. The landlord must be satisfied that the photograph is that of the occupier and keep a copy of the proof for at least one year after the tenancy ends.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf) art. 3(c), art. 5B

British and Irish citizens

British citizens (including citizens from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and Irish citizens are ‘relevant nationals’ and do not need a right to rent. The landlord must still check the occupier’s documents and take reasonable care to ensure their validity.

Immigration Act 2014, s.21(1),(5)

Proof of citizenship with one document

Proof of citizenship can be shown by any one of the following:

• a passport (current or expired) showing you are a British citizen, or
• a passport or passport card (in either case current or expired) showing you are an Irish citizen, or
• a certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf) art. 3(a), 4(a), schedule, List A(1) paras 1, 1A, 8, 10

Proof of citizenship with two documents

Proof of British or Irish citizenship can be shown by any two of the following:

• a birth certificate (long or short form) issued in the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or Isle of Man
• an adoption certificate issued in the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or Isle of Man
• a letter issued within the last three months, which is:
  • by a local authority or government department, naming the holder, confirming that they have received services from that body, and signed by a named official with their name and professional address, or
  • signed by a British passport holder who is a professional person, stating the holder’s name, confirming that the signatory has known them for at least three months and in what capacity, and giving the signatory’s name, address, profession, workplace and passport number, or
  • by the holder’s employer, stating the holder’s name and National Insurance number, and giving the employer’s name and address, or
  • by a UK police force, confirming that the holder was the victim of a crime in which their British passport, Irish passport, or passport or travel document endorsed to show they are free from immigration control or have the right of abode was stolen, and stating the crime reference number.
• an identity card or document from one of Her Majesty’s forces or the Secretary of State confirming that the holder is or has been a member of those forces
• a letter issued within the last six months by HM Prison Service confirming the holder’s release from prison and stating the holder’s name and date of birth
• a letter issued within the last three months by an officer of the National Offender Management Service (probation service), or by the responsible local authority officer in Scotland, confirming the holder’s name and date of birth and that the officer is responsible for supervising them
• a current driving licence (including the photocard if issued on or after 1 July 1998)
• a certificate issued to the holder by Disclosure and Barring Service within the last three months
• a document, or screenshot of an electronic document, issued within the last three months by the DWP or local council confirming that the holder is entitled to UC, SPC, HB or another benefit classed as public funds
• a letter issued within the last three months by a public authority, voluntary organisation or charity under a scheme to secure private rented accommodation for someone who is homeless or at risk of homelessness, stating the holder’s name and the address of the prospective tenancy the issuer helped them obtain
• a letter from a UK further or higher education institution confirming that the holder has been accepted onto a current course, and stating the institution’s name and the course name and duration.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf), art. 3(a),(aa), art. 4(a), schedule, List A(2)

Using an agent to validate documents

Landlords can appoint a certified Digital Identity Service Provider (IDSP) to verify the identity of British and Irish citizens without a face-to-face check. IDSPs use identity document validation technology (IDVT) to confirm that documents are genuine, reducing the risk of forged documents being accepted. This method cannot be used for an expired passport or passport card. The landlord is still responsible for checking that the image in the digital copy is of the occupier and must keep copies for at least one year after the tenancy ends.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf) art. 2 – ‘IDVT identity check’, ‘IDVT identity service provider’, ‘relevant IDVT document’, art. 3(aa), art. 5ZA, art. 5ZB

Commonwealth citizens with the right of abode (long-term residents)

Commonwealth citizens with the right of abode have an indefinite right to rent because they are free from immigration control and so do not need permission to enter or stay in the UK. The landlord guidance advises that this applies to Commonwealth citizens:

• who have lived in the UK since before 1 January 1973
• who arrived after that date but before 1 August 1988 may be eligible for permanent residence if they apply.

Commonwealth citizens with these rights are sometimes called Windrush residents: for more information about residents who may have these rights, see the government web page.

Proof with documents

Status can be proved with a current or expired passport or travel document endorsed to confirm that the holder is exempt from immigration control or has the right of abode. The endorsement is usually a vignette sticker or certificate of entitlement in a Commonwealth passport.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf) art. 3(a), art. 4(a), schedule, List A(1) para 8

Some residents may hold a biometric residence permit (BRP) as proof of status, but BRPs are being replaced by eVisas and cannot be used after 31 December 2026. Eligible residents who applied for proof of status after 31 October 2024 will receive an e-Visa and must use the digital service.

Undocumented residents

Windrush residents are often undocumented, which has caused many to face difficulties proving their right to work, rent a home or claim benefits. The Windrush Scheme allows eligible residents to apply for proof of status free of charge. Others who need proof of their right of residence must pay a fee, currently £589.

If the occupier has applied for permanent residence or proof of status but has not yet received a decision or documents, the landlord can use the Landlord Checking Service to obtain a positive right to rent notice. If the service does not respond within two working days, the landlord may proceed as if they had received a positive notice.

People who applied to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

A person with EU settled or pre-settled status is a ‘relevant national’ and does not need a right to rent. Because this status is held as an e-Visa, it can only be checked through the digital service; landlords cannot use a physical document check.

A person with EU settled status granted by Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man can prove their right to rent using documents issued by that government, but only if the Landlord Checking Service has verified them as valid.

EUSS applicants waiting for a decision

A person who was eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme, applied on time and is still awaiting a decision is also a ‘relevant national’ and does not need a right to rent. EUSS applicants with pending decisions receive a Certificate of Application (CoA) from the Home Office or the authorities in Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man. The CoA gives the occupier’s name, date of birth, nationality, application number and application date. It is usually digital, so the landlord must complete the check through the digital service.

Depending on when and how the EUSS application was made, the CoA may be a physical document, PDF or email with a Home Office or UKVI letterhead. The landlord must then use the Landlord Checking Service to verify it and obtain a positive right to rent notice. If the service does not respond within two working days, the landlord may proceed as if they had received a positive notice. The occupier must provide their Home Office reference number for the check.

Citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, USA and EEA member states

Citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, the United States of America and EEA member states may enter the UK through an automated e-Gate using their passport, so they may not have a physical document confirming their right to enter and remain in the UK.

Entry as a visitor (maximum six months)

Visitors from these countries do not need a visa or passport stamp. They can stay in the UK for up to six months and have the right to rent during that time. To prove this, they must provide a passport showing citizenship of one of these countries, together with an original or copy of one of the following:

• a boarding pass, ticket or booking confirmation for air, rail or sea travel to the UK, in paper or electronic form, or
• other documentary evidence showing their date of arrival in the UK.

The landlord should keep the arrival evidence, a copy of the passport and the date the documents were checked. Copies may be retained on paper, such as a photocopy, or electronically, such as a screenshot.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf) art. 3(b), art. 5A

Entry for over six months

For stays of more than six months, such as work, study or settlement, citizens must apply before travelling and will receive an e-Visa. An occupier with an e-Visa must prove their right to rent by using the digital service via an online share code.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf) art. 3(c), art. 5B

If the occupier entered the UK before 25 February 2026, they may have been issued with physical documents, such as a biometric residence permit (BRP), or a passport stamp if they did not use an e-Gate. Biometric residence permits have been phased out and cannot be used after 31 December 2026, but anyone who still has permission to stay can create an account to get an e-Visa. If the occupier has a passport stamp, the right to rent document requirements are the same as for other foreign nationals.

Other foreign nationals

Occupiers who are nationals of any other country must:

• use the digital service if they have an e-Visa
• use the Landlord Checking Service if their application for leave, administrative review or appeal is still outstanding, or if the Home Office has granted permission to rent for another reason, including where the Home Office holds their travel documents.

From 25 February 2026, all UK visitors with a six-month right to rent must use an eVisa and the digital service. From 1 July 2026, this will also apply to almost everyone granted limited leave.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf) art. 3(a),(c), art. 4(b), art. 5B

Anyone granted limited or indefinite leave without an e-Visa can prove their right to rent only as follows:

• if they have indefinite leave:
  • a current or expired passport or other travel document endorsed to show the holder has no time limit on their stay in the UK, or
  • a current or expired immigration status document with a photograph, issued by the Home Office and endorsed to show the holder has no time limit on their stay in the UK, or
• if they have limited leave:
  • a current passport showing the holder is allowed to stay in the UK for a limited period, or
  • a current immigration status document issued by the Home Office showing the holder has limited leave to enter or remain in the UK.

The landlord must meet the other requirements that apply to a physical document check.

Prescribed Requirements Order (pdf) art. 3(a), art. 4(a), schedule, List A(1) paras 8, 9, List B paras 1,4