West Virginia House Bill 4843, introduced on January 27, 2026, aims to strengthen consumer privacy protections by prohibiting the use of scanner technology to collect personally identifiable information (PII) from consumers beyond what is necessary for age verification. If passed, this legislation would amend the West Virginia Code by adding a new section, §46A-6-111, explicitly limiting what data can be collected during routine ID checks.
What West Virginia HB 4843 says
Under the proposed statute §46A-6-111, the bill makes it unlawful for any person to use “scanner technology” to collect a consumer’s personally identifiable information (PII), which includes but is not limited to driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, medical history, or other descriptive details contained on a driver’s license or identification card, other than the consumer’s age. Violation of this prohibition is classified as an unfair or deceptive act or practice under the state’s consumer protection law.
What this means for businesses
In simple terms, HB 4843 would require that when a business scans a driver’s license or state ID for age verification or similar purposes, it can only use or retain the minimum necessary information, specifically the age of the person being scanned. Anything beyond age verification, such as capturing or storing the full license number, address, or other embedded identifiers, would be illegal. Organizations that use scanners for entry management, age-restricted sales, hospitality check-in, or membership validation must ensure they are not inadvertently collecting sensitive personal data that falls outside the narrow scope permitted by this bill.
How IDScan.net can ensure compliance
As privacy-focused regulations like West Virginia HB 4843 emerge, businesses must adopt technology that aligns with legal limits on data capture and retention. VeriScan Identity Platform is a scanning solution designed with customizable privacy controls that allow organizations to capture only age-related data when verifying identity. These systems can be configured to avoid collecting or storing prohibited PII such as license numbers, addresses, or other barcode data. Detailed audit reporting further supports compliance by demonstrating exactly what information was and was not captured during scans.
Final Thoughts
West Virginia HB 4843 reflects a growing legal emphasis on consumer privacy and responsible use of technology in everyday business operations. While age verification remains a necessary practice in many industries, this bill underscores that such verification must not become a method of collecting excessive personal data. By utilizing compliant solutions like VeriScan, businesses can continue to perform accurate ID checks while staying fully aligned with evolving privacy regulations. We will continue to monitor this bill during its journey through legislation and provide updates as they become available.
