ESD identity verification confusion - do they need both sides of driver's license?

YES! You absolutely need both sides!! My claim was stuck for 3 weeks because I made the exact same mistake. The moment I uploaded the back side of my license, my verification went through within 2 days. The instructions are super unclear about this.

Thanks for confirming! Did you have to contact someone to upload the back side or were you able to just go back into your account and add it?

You definitely need both sides. ESD requires images of the front AND back of your ID for verification purposes. Most government ID cards contain security features and important information on both sides. When you go back to upload, make sure both images are clear and all text is readable. Blurry photos will just cause more delays.

is this new?? when i filed last year i swear i only sent the front and it went thru fine. the whole system changes every 5 minutes i swear

It's not new, but enforcement has become more consistent since the major fraud issues during the pandemic. The system always technically required both sides, but some claims were processed with just the front side in the past depending on workload and which agent handled your claim. Now their verification system is more standardized.

I work with ESD claims regularly, and yes, both sides of your ID are required. The back contains important information they use for verification purposes. You should be able to log in to your eServices account, go to your claim, and there should be an option to upload additional documentation. If you can't find where to upload it, you might need to call them directly.\n\nBTW, if you're having trouble getting through on the phones (which is common), I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a system that helps you get through to an ESD agent much faster than calling directly. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3. I've had several clients use it successfully when dealing with ID verification issues.

Thank you so much for the detailed help! I'm going to try logging in now to upload the back side. If I can't figure it out, I might try that Claimyr service since I've been calling for days with no luck.

I think it depends on who reviews your claim tbh. My cousin only uploaded the front and his went through fine last month, but my neighbor had to do both sides. ESD is so inconsistent!!

This is SO TRUE. My first claim needed both sides, but when I had to reverify months later they only asked for the front. The entire system is just random sometimes.

I HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM!! Was stuck in verification hell for almost a MONTH because I only uploaded the front. The ESD website is TERRIBLE at explaining what they need. I finally got through to someone after calling 23 TIMES who told me they needed the back too. Uploaded it and magically my claim was approved 3 days later. The whole system is designed to make you give up I swear!!!

That's so frustrating! But I'm glad to hear it eventually got resolved. I'm going to upload the back side right now and hope it doesn't take a full month to get approved.

Just as an update for anyone reading this in the future - the current ESD identity verification process officially requires BOTH sides of your ID. This became standard procedure in January 2025 when they updated their verification system. Always upload front and back of any ID documents to avoid delays.

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know that this worked! I uploaded the back of my license yesterday, and this morning my claim status changed from

So glad it worked out quickly for you! It's amazing how such a small detail can hold up the entire process.

That's such great news! Thanks for coming back to update everyone - it really helps when people share their results. It's frustrating that something so simple can cause weeks of delays, but at least now others will know exactly what to do. The fact that it only took one day after uploading the back side really shows that was the missing piece. Glad you can finally get your benefits sorted out!