Every age verification API promises to "verify age" and "keep you compliant." But those claims are broad. What they really mean depends on the method:

• ID scan: The customer takes a photo of their ID, and the API checks it against fraud databases. This is the most accurate but requires a physical ID.
• Database check: The API queries public records (voter rolls, utility data) to confirm age. Faster, but can fail for people with thin data files.
• Age estimation: Uses AI to guess age from a selfie. Convenient but controversial—accuracy varies, and some states don't accept it as sole proof.

When a vendor says "99% accuracy," ask what they mean. Accuracy at what? Across all methods? For database checks, that might just mean the check completed without error, not that it correctly verified the person.