E-Verify state map, reviewed October 2026
Where E-Verify is required, state by state
Pick a state to see who must enroll, what the law says, and whether E-Verify can check driver's licenses issued there. Federal contractors with the FAR E-Verify clause must use E-Verify in every state.
What E-Verify checks
E-Verify confirms records. It does not confirm the person.
E-Verify compares information from Form I-9 with Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security records. That is valuable, and in many states it is the law. But a valid record and the person presenting it are two different things.
Name, date of birth and Social Security number
E-Verify checks that the identity data entered from the I-9 matches federal records and that the record shows work authorization. A real number borrowed or bought from someone else can still match.
Driver's license data
Licenses and state IDs are the most common identity documents on Form I-9. Through RIDE, E-Verify checks license data against DMV records only when the license was issued by a participating state: Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. No photo is compared.
Photo matching
A U.S. passport, passport card, Permanent Resident Card or Employment Authorization Document triggers photo matching. The employer compares the photo on file with DHS to the photo on the document. E-Verify instructs employers not to compare that photo to the employee.
The step E-Verify leaves to you
Form I-9 asks whether the documents relate to the person in front of you
On every Form I-9, the employer must examine the documents and decide whether they reasonably appear genuine and relate to the person presenting them. E-Verify runs after that decision and depends on it. When the hire is remote, or the reviewer is a busy store manager, that comparison is where identity fraud gets through.
Where ZipID fits
ZipID uses biometric face matching to confirm the new hire matches the photo on the document they present, with liveness and synthetic image screening on the capture. The verified data then flows into Form I-9 and into E-Verify in the same workflow.
ZipID is a certified E-Verify Web Services Provider, built to the current E-Verify interface standard, ICA v32. No separate login, no second round of data entry.
If E-Verify applies to you
A mandate brings ongoing obligations, not a single check
- Enroll and sign the E-Verify memorandum of understanding before your first covered hire.
- Complete Form I-9 first, then create each case no later than the third business day after the employee starts work for pay.
- Never run E-Verify on applicants before hire, or on existing employees unless a federal contract allows it.
- Follow mismatch procedures exactly, and take no adverse action while the employee is contesting.
- Keep copies of any passport, Permanent Resident Card or EAD that triggers photo matching with the Form I-9.
- Display the required notices, keep account contacts current, and watch for E-Verify's new annual account certification.
Read more on E-Verify
From the ZipID blog and help center
Common questions
E-Verify by state, answered
Which states require E-Verify for private employers?
Alabama, Arizona, Mississippi and South Carolina require it of every private employer. Florida and North Carolina require it at 25 or more employees, Tennessee at 35 or more full-time equivalents, Georgia above 10 full-time employees, and Utah at 150 or more. Ohio requires it for nonresidential construction contractors of any size.
Is E-Verify required in Indiana?
Not for most private employers. Indiana's FAIRNESS Act, in effect since July 1, 2026, bars every employer from knowingly employing unauthorized workers. E-Verify is not required under the act, but using it is recognized as reasonable diligence and carries safe harbor protection. Public employers and state contractors must use E-Verify.
Does E-Verify confirm a new hire's identity?
Only in part. E-Verify checks the information from Form I-9 against Social Security Administration and DHS records. It checks driver's license data only for licenses issued by the 10 states in the RIDE program, and photo matching applies only to U.S. passports, passport cards, Permanent Resident Cards and Employment Authorization Documents. E-Verify instructs employers not to compare its photo to the employee, so the comparison of the person to the document stays with the employer at Form I-9.
Does E-Verify replace Form I-9?
No. Every U.S. employer must complete Form I-9 for every new hire. E-Verify is an additional check that uses the information from the completed Form I-9.
Does ZipID connect to E-Verify?
Yes. ZipID is a certified E-Verify Web Services Provider, built to the current E-Verify interface standard, ICA v32. Identity is confirmed with biometric face matching, and the verified data flows into Form I-9 and E-Verify in one workflow.
See identity verification and E-Verify in one workflow
Bring the states you hire in. We will walk through how ZipID handles Form I-9 and E-Verify for your locations.
Book a demoLast reviewed October 12, 2026. Private employer mandates reflect state statutes as cited. Public employer and state contractor rules are summarized from published state summaries; check the contract clause before relying on them. RIDE participation reflects the most recent USCIS announcement of participating states. State laws change often.
ZipID is a technology company and does not provide legal advice. This page is general information only. For questions about your specific obligations, consult your own counsel.