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Identity Assurance Levels (IAL)

Identity Assurance Levels (IALs) are a set of standards defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that convey the degree of confidence that someone’s claimed identity is their real identity (i.e. how likely an individual is actually who they say they are).

Frequently asked questions

What are the three identity assurance levels?

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The Identity Assurance Levels (IALs) defined by NIST Special Publication 800-63A describe the degree of confidence that a person claiming an identity is the correct individual. The three levels represent increasing rigor in identity verification.

IAL1 – Self-asserted identity

  • No identity proofing is required.

  • Attributes may be collected but are not verified.

  • Suitable for use cases where linking to a real-world identity is unnecessary.

IAL2 – Verified identity (remote or in-person)

  • Requires evidence of the claimed identity, which can be verified either remotely or in person.

  • Acceptable combinations include one piece of strong evidence OR two pieces of fair evidence.

  • Validation (checking the integrity of the evidence) and verification (confirming the evidence matches the claimed identity) are strongly recommended but not strictly required.

  • Biometric comparison (e.g, selfie to ID) and liveness detection are optional but commonly used to strengthen assurance.

  • Supervised remote verification is allowed but not required.

IAL3 – Supervised high-assurance identity verification

  • Requires in-person or supervised remote identity proofing conducted by a trained and authorized representative.

  • Requires either two pieces of strong evidence OR one piece of superior evidence (e.g., an ePassport with cryptographic verification).

  • The applicant must be physically or virtually present under live supervision.

  • Biometric comparison is required — the individual’s biometric (e.g., a face or fingerprint scan) must be collected and compared to the biometric data on their identity evidence (e.g., photo on ID).

  • Includes strict chain-of-custody procedures, anti-spoofing protections, and detailed auditing.

  • Suitable for high-risk use cases that demand the highest level of confidence in the identity asserted.

What are the levels of identity assurance?

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Defined by NIST, identity assurance levels (IALs) refer to the certainty that someone is actually who they’re claiming to be.