EDD identity verification hell - Can I just go to a local office instead of mailing documents?

Unfortunately the rep wasnt lying to u. EDD offices ARE closed to public for walk-ins since covid & never reopened for ID stuff. They only do in-person appointments for very specific services now, and ID verification isnt one of them. Trust me i tried going to 3 different offices last month thinkin the same thing!! Wasted my whole day driving around getting turned away everywhere. You HAVE to mail in your docs or use ID.me if thats an option for u.

why didnt they tell u to use ID.me??? thats what everyone uses now, nobody mails stuff anymore!!

The EDD representative should have given you the ID.me option instead of only telling you about mailing documents. While it's true that EDD offices aren't open for walk-in ID verification services, you absolutely shouldn't have to mail your original documents. Here's what you should do: 1. Log into your UI Online account 2. Look for the ID verification section or notification 3. There should be a link to complete verification through ID.me 4. Follow the ID.me process which lets you upload documents and verify your identity online ID.me verification usually processes within 24-48 hours, while mailed document verification can take 2-3 weeks minimum. If you don't see the ID.me option in your account, you may need to speak with a different representative who can add this option to your account.

Had the exact same problem in January!!! The first rep I talked to also told me to mail everything in. I waited TWO WEEKS with no update, called again, and the second rep told me I could have just used ID.me the whole time!! So frustrating. Some reps really don't seem to care about helping.

Getting through to EDD on the phone is practically impossible these days, which is probably why you got a rushed and unhelpful representative. I was trying for WEEKS before I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me get through to an EDD representative in less than 25 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. The rep I finally spoke with helped me sort out the ID verification issue quickly and showed me how to use ID.me instead of mailing documents. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km that shows how it works. Seriously saved my sanity after dealing with busy signals and disconnections for days.

To directly answer your question - no, you cannot go to a local office for ID verification. The representative was correct about that part. However, they absolutely should have told you about ID.me as an alternative to mailing physical documents. For anyone else reading this thread with similar issues: 1. ID.me is the preferred verification method for EDD in 2025 2. Most claims require identity verification through ID.me before benefits can be released 3. The verification link is usually sent via UI Online messaging system 4. You'll need a smartphone with camera and your identification documents 5. The process typically includes uploading document photos and a video selfie 6. In some cases, a video call with an ID.me representative may be required If you've already mailed documents, you can still complete ID.me verification instead - the online verification will be processed first and you'll get your documents back eventually.

UPDATE: I completed the ID.me verification and it was actually pretty easy! Took about 15 minutes total. Now my claim status says "pending verification" instead of just "pending" so I think that's progress? How long after ID.me verification did it take for your claims to be approved?

for me it was like 2 days after id.me but my brother took almost a week so guess it depends

Just wanted to add for anyone else dealing with this - make sure you have good lighting and a clean background when doing the ID.me verification! I failed my first attempt because my driver's license photo was too blurry, had to wait 24 hours to try again. Also keep your documents flat and make sure all four corners are visible in the photo. The video selfie part was easier than I expected - just follow the prompts and speak clearly. Really wish EDD reps would consistently mention ID.me as the first option instead of making people think mailing documents is the only way!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar ID verification issue right now and was about to mail my documents like the rep told me to. Thank you everyone for mentioning ID.me - I had no idea that was even an option! It's ridiculous that EDD reps aren't consistently telling people about the faster online verification method. Going to check my UI Online account right now to look for that ID.me link. Hopefully I can get this sorted out quickly like you did Maxwell!

Just went through this exact same frustrating experience last month! The first EDD rep I spoke with also only mentioned mailing documents and made it sound like that was my only option. I was so stressed about sending my original ID through the mail. Thankfully I found out about ID.me through this community - completed the verification in about 20 minutes and my claim was approved within 48 hours. It's honestly inexcusable that some reps aren't informing people about the faster digital option. For anyone still dealing with this - definitely try the ID.me route first before resorting to mailing anything. And if you need to call EDD again, don't be afraid to ask specifically about digital verification options if they only mention mail-in documents.