Biometric ID/liveness check

A biometric ID/liveness check is an identity verification step that compares a live selfie or video selfie to the photo on a government-issued ID. The liveness part checks that the applicant is a real person present during the process, rather than a static photo, recorded video, mask, or other spoof. In multifamily leasing, it is often used alongside document validation, income verification, and other screening steps.

A leasing team asks an online applicant to upload a driver’s license and complete a short video selfie. The system checks whether the face in the selfie matches the ID photo and whether the applicant appears to be physically present during the check before the file moves forward for underwriting.

For operations leaders, biometric ID/liveness checks help reduce identity theft, impersonation, synthetic identity risk, and unauthorized occupancy in digital leasing workflows. They also add a clear control point for centralized teams, but should be balanced against applicant drop-off, false positives, and the need for consistent review procedures.