South African ID Number Checker
Check if an ID number is valid and see what it tells you.
Not a valid ID number
Everything is worked out on your device. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
How it works
A South African ID number has 13 digits in the format YYMMDD SSSS C A Z. The first six digits are the date of birth. The next four show gender: 0000 to 4999 for female, and 5000 to 9999 for male.
The 11th digit shows citizenship: 0 for a South African citizen and 1 for a permanent resident. The 12th is usually 8. The last digit is a check digit, worked out from the first twelve using the Luhn formula, so most typos are caught.
Because the year has only two digits, someone born in 1925 and someone born in 2025 share the same first two digits. We assume the most recent year that isn’t in the future.
Questions
What do the 13 digits of a South African ID number mean?
The first six digits are the date of birth (YYMMDD). The next four show gender: 0000–4999 is female and 5000–9999 is male. The 11th digit is 0 for an SA citizen or 1 for a permanent resident. The 12th digit is usually 8, and the last digit is a check digit.
Does a valid result mean the ID number belongs to a real person?
No. This tool checks that the number is correctly formed and that the check digit adds up. Only Home Affairs can confirm that an ID number was issued to a specific person.
Is it safe to type an ID number here?
Yes. The check runs entirely in your browser. The number is never sent to a server, saved or logged.
Why does it say the check digit doesn’t match?
Usually because of a typo, such as two digits swapped or one mistyped. Compare the number carefully with the ID document.