How do I verify a co-star's age?

Check their original government photo ID in person, match the photo to the person, confirm the date of birth shows they are 18 or older on the shoot date, copy the ID, and take a photo of them holding it. Then record a short consent statement on camera.

Is a photo of an ID enough?

For screening, yes. On the day, check the original ID in person and keep a copy. Platforms also run their own verification for co-performers.

What should a consent video say?

The performer's stage name and the date, that they are 18 or older, that they are sober, that they agree to the activities and to distribution, and that they know they can stop at any time.

What if something feels wrong?

Do not record. Section 5 of the checklist lists warning signs and who to contact.

Performer Age and ID Verification Checklist

Free template. Not legal advice. This document is a starting point only. Laws differ by state and country, and platform and payment processor rules change often. Have a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction review it before you use it. Using this template does not create an attorney-client relationship with anyone. Released under CC0 1.0 (public domain): copy, change and share it freely, no credit needed.

How to use this checklist: Complete it for every person who will appear on camera, every time you record, before recording starts. Nobody appears on camera, even briefly, until every required box is checked. Keep the completed checklist with the performer's records. Replace every item in [BRACKETS].

Production


Producer	[PRODUCER LEGAL NAME]
Production ID or title	[PRODUCTION ID]
Date of production	[DATE OF PRODUCTION]
Performer (stage name)	[STAGE NAME(S)]
Checked by	[VERIFIER NAME]

Step 1: Before the shoot (screening)

#	Check	Done
1	Performer gave legal name, every stage name and alias, date of birth and contact details	[ ]
2	Performer sent a photo of a valid government-issued photo ID	[ ]
3	Performer clearly appears to be an adult and matches the ID photo	[ ]
4	Performer is booked directly, or any agent is known and named: [AGENT NAME OR "NONE"]	[ ]
5	No warning signs (see Step 5)	[ ]
6	Performer received a copy of the release and agreement to read before the shoot day	[ ]

Step 2: On the day, before recording (in person)

#	Check	Done
7	Original ID presented in person (not a photo or copy)	[ ]
8	Photo on the ID matches the person	[ ]
9	Date of birth shows the person is at least 18 on today's date, and at least the age of majority where you are filming	[ ]
10	ID is unexpired and shows no signs of alteration	[ ]
11	Name on the ID matches the legal name on the release	[ ]
12	Legible copy of the front (and back, if it has information) made	[ ]
13	Photo taken of the performer holding the ID next to their face	[ ]
14	2257 Performer Record Form completed and signed	[ ]
15	Model release or collaboration agreement signed and dated before recording	[ ]
16	Agreed activities initialed by the performer	[ ]
17	(Optional) Sexual health test result dated within [NUMBER] days seen	[ ]
18	Performer appears sober and alert	[ ]

Step 3: Recorded consent (start of recording)

The performer says on camera:

their stage name and today's date;
that they are 18 or older;
that they are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
that they agree to the activities they initialed;
that they agree to the content being distributed on [PLATFORMS]; and
that they know they can stop at any time.

#	Check	Done
19	Consent clip recorded for this performer for this production	[ ]
20	Consent clip saved with the performer's records, with its file name noted: [FILE NAME]	[ ]

Step 4: Before publishing

#	Check	Done
21	Every person visible in the final edit has a complete record for this production	[ ]
22	Content shows nothing beyond the initialed activities	[ ]
23	Each platform's own co-performer verification is complete for every person shown	[ ]
24	Title, description and tags pass your content compliance checklist	[ ]
25	Custodian of records statement is linked where the content is posted	[ ]

Step 5: Warning signs: stop and do not record

Do not record, and seek help if needed, if any of these are present:

someone else holds the performer's ID, phone or money;
someone else answers for the performer or will not leave them alone;
the performer seems scared, coached, confused, or impaired by alcohol or drugs;
the ID looks altered, belongs to someone else, or the age is unclear;
the performer is unsure what they agreed to, or changes their mind.

Call your local human trafficking hotline: [HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE NUMBER FOR YOUR COUNTRY] (in the United States, look up the National Human Trafficking Hotline). Report any suspected minor to law enforcement and to [CHILD EXPLOITATION REPORTING SERVICE FOR YOUR COUNTRY] (in the United States, the NCMEC CyberTipline).

Sign-off

Verified by: [VERIFIER NAME] Signature: ______________________ Date and time: ______________

Free performer age and ID verification checklist

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