Reading RFID for Identity Verification

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology has become a standard feature in modern identity documents, from passports and driver’s licenses to border-crossing cards and employee badges. Its ability to transmit data wirelessly enables organizations to quickly capture ID information, streamlining processes that once relied on manual entry. However, simply reading an RFID chip is only the first step. Effective identity verification requires interpreting, validating, and matching the data on the chip to the individual presenting the credential, a capability made possible through advanced ID verification technology.

Why reading RFID matters in identity verification

Many US state IDs, as well as various international IDs now come with embedded RFID chips. Scanning these chips can speed up processes like border crossing, age verification, compliance checks, access management and more. By reading the RFID chip, you can quickly access a unique identifier or the document’s stored data. But simply reading a chip doesn’t prove that the person holding it is the authorized owner, or that the data on the chip is genuine.

Two types of RFID identity documents

Understanding what the RFID chip actually contains is key to reading it correctly:

1. PASSsystem Cards

Passport Cards, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses/Tribal IDs, Trusted Traveler Cards (Global Entry/NEXUS/SENTRI), Border Crossing Cards, and Permanent Resident Cards all feature RFID chips that operate at 860–960 MHz, allowing them to be read from multiple meters away, for example, from a car window.

This type of RFID chip transmits only a unique ID number. This means the RFID chip itself contains no biographic or biometric data. It’s effectively a pointer to information stored elsewhere. Reading it is just the first step; verification depends on database access. Canadian Border Control and some other Canadian authorities, uses this method to pull the RFID unique identifier and then cross reference the number with secure databases for further verification. 

2. ePassports and Contactless National IDs

By contrast, many passports and national IDs contain more sophisticated HF RFID chips (13.56 MHz) that store biographical data (name, date of birth, document number, etc.), digital versions of the photo, and even fingerprint templates (when applicable). Given the sensitive nature of the data stored on these RFID chips, they are often self contained and do not require external database queries to be read and verified. However, it is important that when reading this RFID type, additional verification methods need to be employed to ensure authenticity.

How RFID scanning works

Reading an RFID chip is more than scanning a number. A proper identity verification workflow typically involves:

1. Capturing the RFID data using a handheld scanner or desktop RFID scanner detects the RFID chip and retrieves its data.
   
2. Parsing the information from the RFID chip, whether that’s a unique ID number or full biographic/biometric data.
   
3. Cross-checking the credential. Data from the chip is compared to printed information, barcodes, and machine-readable zones (MRZ) from known databases.
   
4. Verifying the person via biometric checks, like matching a live photo to the one stored on the chip, further confirms that the cardholder is genuine.
   

This layered approach ensures that reading an RFID chip becomes a meaningful step in verifying identity, rather than a simple data capture.

How IDScan.net enhances RFID reading

IDScan.net solutions take RFID reading a step further, turning raw data into actionable verification. By using a multi-layered approach, we combine RFID reads with barcode and MRZ scanning to ensure consistency. Layered with fraud detection, anti-spoofing, and tamper checks, the VeriScan Identity Platform confidently authenticates an RFID-enabled ID to the person presenting it. Furthermore, VeriScan logs and time stamps collected information, while adhering to respective data retention policies, to ensure compliance across applications like visitor management, age verification, and KYC.

Conclusion

Reading an RFID chip is a critical step in modern identity verification, but it’s not sufficient on its own. PASSsystem cards provide the scanning party to a secure database, while ePassports and contactless IDs store detailed biographic and biometric data internally. IDScan.net transforms these scans into actionable identity verification, ensuring that every RFID scan contributes to a secure, compliant, and trustworthy identity verification process.