Verification

Verification & KYC

In short

Phone numbers are a regulated resource. Regulators allocate number ranges to licensed carriers, who pass verification requirements down to providers and buyers. That is why some numbers need documents before activation, while others activate instantly. Requirements vary by country and number type, and the exact need is shown at order time.

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Why documents are asked for

Phone numbers are not an open resource that anyone can mint. A regulator allocates blocks of numbers to a licensed carrier; the carrier makes ranges available to a provider; the provider offers individual numbers to a business. Any verification requirement travels down that chain — regulator, to licensed carrier, to provider, to buyer — so a requirement you meet is one set above the provider, not invented by it.

The purpose is anti-fraud and consumer protection. Knowing who holds a number makes it harder to use ranges for scams or spoofing, which is why some markets ask a buyer to prove identity before a number goes live. This is what KYC (Know Your Customer) means: confirming the customer behind the number.

A key point: the requirement attaches to the number range, not to the provider. Two ranges in the same country can carry different rules, and the same range carries the same rule at any provider. Because of that, the exact requirement for a number is known in advance and is shown to you before you order, so there is never a surprise after purchase.

Requirement classes

The requirement classes

Most ranges fall into one of these patterns. The class for any given number is shown before you confirm.

Class	What is asked	Typical situation
None	No documents; the number activates instantly.	Open ranges in lightly regulated markets.
ID only	An identity document for an authorised person.	Ranges that verify who is using the number.
ID + proof of address	Identity plus a document confirming your address.	Markets with stronger consumer-protection rules.
Local presence	Identity, address, and a registered address in the country.	Ranges tied to a specific geographic area.
Varies by number type	The class depends on whether the number is geographic, national, mobile, or toll-free.	Countries that set rules per number type.

DID (Direct Inward Dialing) numbers and the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) endpoints they route to sit on these ranges, so the class shown depends on the specific range a number comes from.

What to prepare

You only ever supply what the specific number range requires, but keeping a small set of documents ready means a documented number can activate as soon as you order it. Where a requirement applies, it is commonly:

A company registration document for the business holding the number.
An identity document for an authorised person acting for the business.
A proof of address, such as a recent utility bill or bank statement.
Sometimes a local address in the country the number belongs to.

Undocumented markets activate instantly — there is nothing to check. Documented ones take a few business days while the records are validated. Having the documents to hand before you order is the single biggest thing that speeds activation.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I have to provide documents to get a number?

Phone numbers are a regulated resource. Regulators allocate blocks of numbers to licensed carriers, who pass verification requirements down to providers and buyers. Where a number range carries a requirement, the documents confirm who is using the number. This supports anti-fraud and consumer-protection rules and lets the number be activated on that range.

Do all countries require verification?

No. Requirements vary by country and by number type. Some markets allocate ranges with no documentation at all, so those numbers activate instantly. Others ask for identity, proof of address, or a local presence before a number on the range can go live. The exact requirement is shown before you order.

What documents are usually needed?

When a requirement applies, it is commonly a company registration document, an identity document for an authorised person, and sometimes proof of address. A few ranges also ask for a local address in the country. Having these ready speeds activation, but you only supply what the specific number range requires.

Can Temptera get me a number without meeting the requirements?

No. The requirement attaches to the number range, not to the provider. A provider cannot waive a requirement set by the regulator and licensed carrier above it. If a range needs documents, they must be supplied before that number activates. Where a range carries no requirement, the number activates instantly.

For a deeper walk-through of how allocation and verification fit together, read our virtual number regulations and KYC explainer, or check what is available in your market on the virtual numbers coverage page. The exact requirement for any number appears when you create an account at app.temptera.com.

Not sure what a number needs?

Tell us the country and number type and we'll confirm the exact verification class before you commit.

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