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Why We Require a Selfie with Your Primary ID

USPS 1583 Primary ID Verification

Updated yesterday

Why We Require a Selfie with Your ID

To help protect your identity and comply with federal mail regulations, Stable requires all users to submit a selfie holding their primary government-issued ID as part of the onboarding process.

Below, we explain why this step is important, what it's used for, and how we protect your information.


Identity Verification for Mail Handling

When you sign up with Stable, you're authorizing us to receive, process, and forward your mail. To ensure we're doing this securely and only for the right person, we need to:

  • Confirm that you are the person listed on the documents, and

  • Validate that the ID you submitted is legitimate and currently in your possession

Requiring a selfie helps us confirm both, and protects your account from fraud or identity misuse.


Required by USPS 1583 Regulations

This isn’t just a Stable policy—it’s a requirement under USPS Form 1583, which is the federal regulation governing how Commercial Mail Receiving Agencies (CMRAs) like Stable operate.

According to the regulation:

  • We are legally required to collect two valid forms of identification, one of which must include a photo

  • We must verify the identity of every user before we can receive mail on their behalf

Your selfie with ID helps us meet this requirement and ensures we can legally and safely begin handling your mail.


What We Do With Your Photo

Your privacy is important to us. All identification photos and documents are:

  • Encrypted and securely stored

  • Only used for identity verification

  • Never shared or sold to third parties

This step is strictly for compliance and security purposes—and we minimize data usage wherever possible.


Tip: How to Take a Proper Selfie

To make sure your verification is successful, keep the following in mind:

  • Hold your government-issued ID clearly in the photo

  • Make sure your face and ID details are visible and not blurry

  • Use natural lighting and avoid glare or heavy shadows

  • Only the person signing up should be in the photo

Still Have Questions?

We're happy to help! If you have any questions or concerns about this step, reach out to us at [email protected] or chat with our support team through your dashboard.

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