Redact your ID before you send it
to a lender
A loan officer needs to verify who you are — not keep a full-resolution copy of your license number, barcode, and signature. Cover what they don't need, right on your phone. Nothing is uploaded.
Works for driver's licenses, state IDs, and passports
A loan officer or broker doing this for clients? See RedactID Business for teams →
What to cover, and what to leave visible
The goal is identity verification, not handing over a full data copy.
Redact these
- ✓Driver's license / ID number
- ✓Barcode and magnetic-strip data (back of card)
- ✓Signature
- ✓Full home address (when not required)
- ✓Document / issuance numbers
Keep visible
- ✓Full legal name
- ✓Photo
- ✓Date of birth (usually required)
- ✓Expiration date (if asked)
Ask your loan officer which fields they require — requirements vary by lender and program.
How to redact your ID in under a minute
- 1
Open the photo of your ID
Snap a clear photo or upload an existing one. It stays on your device.
- 2
Cover the fields you don't need to share
Drag a box over the license number, barcode, and signature. On-device OCR helps you spot text to redact.
- 3
Download the redacted copy
Export a flattened image where the covered areas are gone for good — not a removable black box.
- 4
Send that copy to your lender
Email or upload the redacted version, never the original.
Not sure your redaction is real?
A black box drawn in Preview or Word can often be peeled off, exposing what's underneath. Before you send an ID to a lender, run it through our free verifier — it flags removable boxes and leftover text or metadata.
RedactID Business for loan officers & brokers
Give every processor and loan officer on-device redaction for NPI, a branded watermark on each underwriter packet, and a CSV audit log for exam-ready records. 3 seats included, cancel anytime.
- 3 team seats
- Branded watermark
- CSV audit log
$29/mo or $249/yr · 3 seats · cancel anytime
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a lender actually need to see on my ID?
For identity verification, lenders generally need your full legal name, photo, and often your date of birth. They usually do not need your driver's license number, the back-of-card barcode/magnetic strip data, your signature, or your full home address printed on the card. When in doubt, ask the loan officer what specific fields they require.
Is it safe to redact my ID before sending it to a lender?
Redacting the fields a lender does not need is a reasonable way to limit how much of your data is copied, forwarded, and stored. As long as you keep the fields they require visible (name, photo, and often date of birth), a redacted ID still does its job. If a lender rejects a redacted copy, they will tell you which field they need unmasked.
Does RedactID upload my ID anywhere?
No. RedactID redacts your ID entirely in your browser. The image never leaves your device — it is not uploaded to or stored on any server. You can confirm this by opening your browser's network tab while you redact.
Can I do this on my phone?
Yes. ID photos (PNG, JPG, HEIC) work on any phone browser — snap or upload the photo, cover the fields you want to hide, and download the redacted copy. No app to install.