NHS COVID Pass Verifier terms and conditions

Updated 23 Jan 2023

By using this Verifier app, you agree to these terms.

1. Introduction

1.1. These are the terms of use (“terms”) for the NHS COVID Pass Verifier app (“Verifier app”). The Department of Health and Social Care ("DHSC", "we", "our") has overall responsibility for the Verifier app, which has been developed by, and will be operated by NHS Business Services Authority.

1.2. These terms apply to the Verifier app only. There are separate terms of use that apply to the NHS COVID Pass Service (“Service”).

2. Purpose of the Verifier app

2.1 The purpose of the Verifier app is to allow the device onto which the Verifier app is downloaded to scan and read a 2D barcode produced by the Service, which shows whether or not the user has a COVID Pass. A COVID Pass confirms that the Service user has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or has met negative testing requirements. The Service user can use the COVID Pass to demonstrate their COVID status for international travel or for domestic purposes which the government may approve from time to time.

2.2 The Verifier app is only designed for use in conjunction with the Service, or with compatible COVID passes that are equivalent to the Service (where such compatibility has been approved by DHSC), but not for any other purpose. Notwithstanding that the Verifier app may be available for download in other countries or territories, it has been designed for use in the United Kingdom.

2.3 The Verifier app is provided by DHSC free of charge, and it is expressly prohibited to attempt to sell or license use of the Verifier app to any person, or to include the Verifier app as part of a paid-for service or product.

2.4 International barcodes are only to be checked by travel operators, for the purposes of verifying an individual's COVID Pass and determining if it meets the international destination’s requirements, or by venue operators, where no domestic alternative is available. The service must not be used for any other purpose.

3. How to use the Verifier app

3.1. To use the Verifier app, you must first download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You should refer to the terms of use and privacy notices applicable to each app store when visiting those stores to download the Verifier app.

3.2. Upon navigating to the 2D barcode verifier, you will first be met with the initial landing page. This page is the first page in the application where you are always able to navigate back to or progress to the 2D Barcode verifier.

3.3. The “Check 2D barcode” button will navigate you to the 2D barcode verifier where you will be able to direct the camera at a user’s COVID certificate. To do this, the user's 2D barcode, which will be either on their device or printed out, will need to be placed inside the four blue square guidelines.

3.4. International results: the international 2D barcode represents the COVID status of an individual person. It follows set international standards designed by eHealth Network (part of the European Commission), and all developers who develop COVID related applications follow this set standard. It is intended to be used for international travel.

3.5. Domestic results: the domestic results of a COVID-19 2D barcode can hold two possible statuses. The first status is valid, which represents a valid certificate (based upon vaccination, exemption or testing) of an individual user. The second status is expired, showing an expired certificate of an individual user. When represented on the app, the verifier (the person, organisation or business using the Verifier app) will see the name, status, and date of expiry.

3.6. About your data: The NHS COVID Pass Verifier application reads 2D barcodes that store personal data and allow the app to display this information. However, this information gathered from the 2D barcode is never stored or transmitted on the NHS COVID Pass Verifier application. App permissions are used to securely store keys that are used to verify that a 2D barcode has been signed by a trusted authority. These permissions are not used to store any data related to the user or app usage. The storage used does not hold any personal data. Nevertheless, in using the app to read the personal data contained in the barcode, the verifier (not DHSC) may owe obligations to you under data protection laws, and you may have rights in relation to their use of your personal data. You should refer to the verifier's notices and policies for more information.

4. Your right to use the Verifier app

4.1. The Verifier app was developed for DHSC, and it and its content belongs to DHSC or its respective licensors as appropriate, and it is protected by intellectual property laws. As long as you comply with these terms, you have a personal, perpetual, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable, limited licence to use the Verifier app for your own personal use. We reserve all other licence rights not expressly permitted under these terms.

4.2. For the avoidance of doubt, any reproduction, decompiling, reverse-engineering, representation, distribution, modification, adaptation or translation of the Verifier app and its content, in whole or in part, is prohibited, except within the limit of these terms or with the express authorisation of DHSC.

5. Our liability to you

5.1. The Verifier app is provided on an as is basis and, to the extent permitted by any applicable laws, we make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the Verifier app will function as intended. We also cannot guarantee that the Verifier app will be available on an uninterrupted basis, secure or error or virus free, or that defects will be corrected.

5.2. Without limitation, we will not be liable to you for:

5.2.1. any use of the Verifier app that does not comply with these terms

5.2.2. any business loss (including but not limited to loss of profits, revenue, contracts, anticipated savings, data, goodwill or wasted expenditure)

5.2.3. any loss or damage arising from an inability to access and/or use the Verifier app

5.2.4. any indirect or consequential losses that were not foreseeable to both you and us when you commenced using the Verifier App

5.2.5. any loss or damage caused by a virus or other technologically harmful material that may infect your device or data due to your use of the Verifier app

5.3. Nothing in clause 6 excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury arising from our negligence, or our fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by applicable law.

6. Continuity

6.1. We reserve the right to suspend, terminate or otherwise alter access to some or all of the Verifier app at any time and without notice.

7. Security

7.1. If you discover a potential security vulnerability or suspect a security incident related to this Service, please report it to covidcertstatuspmo@nhsbsa.nhs.uk.

8. Miscellaneous

8.1. We may revise these terms at any time and your continued use of the Verifier app will be deemed acceptance of such revised terms. Any such revisions take effect when this page is published.

8.2. These terms are governed by the laws of England and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

8.3. These terms do not provide rights to, and may not be enforced by, any third party.

8.4. Each of the clauses in these terms operates separately. If any part of these terms is determined to be invalid or unenforceable then the remainder of these terms will remain in full force and effect.