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How to verify your new business

If your business was registered in the last 3 months and not yet trading, we may ask you for proof that you plan for it to operate. This is nothing to worry about – one strong document could be all we need.

This guide shows you how to:

  • Provide your proof

  • Submit the main types of proof

  • Support your main proof with these documents

Why we need your proof

Why we need your proof

We use this information to help us understand and support your business needs.

This evidence can be a bit trickier to verify, as it's not factual like your ID showing your address.

We're on the lookout for proof that is genuine, and hasn’t been created simply to satisfy our request.

How to provide your proof

How to provide your proof

  1. Tap the Support icon in the top right corner

  2. Tap Messages to find our message

  3. Reply to our message with your proof

Provide 1 of these main types of proof

Choose from the 4 documents listed below. Keep in mind that you don't need to select all, just one will do.

1. Business plan

Submit your business plan as your main proof if you’re not actively trading yet.

Your business plan provides an overview of how you plan on building, launching, and running your business. You can learn more about creating your business plan with our step-by-step blog.

Your business plan should include most (if not all) of these sections:

Executive summary

  • Business name

  • Business start date – even if it's in the future

  • Purpose of the plan – like investment or loan

Company description

  • If you're a sole trader or registered business

  • Business activity – optional SIC code

  • Markets you service

  • Ideal customers

  • Your registered or intended location

Market analysis

  • Market (and industry) trends

  • Competitor analysis

  • Legal requirements – like trademarks

Business goals

  • Short term objectives

  • Long term objectives

  • Success metrics and indicators

Products and services

  • Description of your products and/or services

  • Your pricing

  • Partnerships or suppliers

Marketing and finances

  • Expected profit

  • Potential investors

  • Needed funding

  • How much it costs to run your business

2. Contracts or agreements

That includes signed client or supplier contracts and service or partnership agreements.

We'll accept contracts that are:

  • Signed by both parties – either e-signature or wet ink

  • Outline services or products, deliverables, and commercial terms

  • With a client or supplier that can be verified – via company registry, website, or LinkedIn

  • Dated preferably within the past 3 months – or includes a future start date

We'll accept agreements that include:

  • Specifics – like scope, parties, dates, and obligations

  • Signatures and dates

  • A partner that is credible and business-related

We won't accept contracts or agreements where:

❌ The other party seem fake or is unverified

❌ Generic, templated, or unsigned contracts

❌ Vague scope or terms – like “consulting services” without providing specific details

3. Platform onboarding confirmation

From the likes of Amazon Seller Central, Shopify, Uber Eats - whichever platform you may be using to sell online.

We'll accept confirmation that is:

  • Clearly linked to your business or yourself – with the same email, name, legal entity, registered business (or trading) address, or phone number

  • Showing the setup progress – like your active listings, menus, or dashboard access

  • In the format of a screenshot, email confirmation, or public link

We won't accept confirmation of:

❌ Inactive accounts – that includes ones that are only registered

❌ Accounts in your personal name with no reference of your business

4. Issued or received invoices

These shouldn't be older than 3 months.

We'll accept invoices that:

  • Contain full details – like the your own and the client names, dates, product or services, and amounts

  • Stay consistent with your activity and timing – like an invoice for equipment needed to start your business

We won't accept invoices that:

❌ Lack key details – like invoice number or client information

❌ Are self-issued, dummy, or inconsistent with declared activity

❌ Are pro forma, but have no actual transaction

Support your main proof with any of these documents

If you want to show even more clearly that your business is real and ready to launch, you can provide your website, marketing plan, or any of these documents.

1. Published website or social media presence

1. Published website or social media presence

We'll accept websites or social media:

  • Containing your business name, services or products, and contact details

  • Updated recently – within the last 1–2 months

  • You or your business own the website domain

2. Initial investment or funding proof

2. Initial investment or funding proof

We'll accept proof that is:

  • Bank statements showing business-related deposits or capital injection

  • Grant or funding confirmation – like government startup aid

  • Investor commitment letters

3. Product or service catalogue

We'll accept your catalogue if it's:

  • Branded to your business – with pricing and service levels

  • Delivered in professional format – like a PDF or an online listing

We won't accept your catalogue if it's:

❌ Generic templates or mockups with no unique content

❌ Lacking in product or service details or target customers

4. Advertising or marketing material

We'll accept this marketing material:

  • Published ads with business details – like in Google Ads, Facebook, flyers

  • Campaigns targeted to real customers and consistent with business activity

We won't accept this marketing material:

❌ Internal drafts

❌ Unpaid campaigns

❌ Mockups

5. Physical premises proof

We'll accept this location proof:

  • Lease or utility bill – that includes your or your business's name

  • The address aligns with your business location

We won't accept this location proof:

❌ Residential-only with no business use

❌ No clarity as to how it's linked to your business

Tide | Do what you love.
Tide Platform Limited (Tide) designs and operates the Tide website and app. Tide is not a bank. Tide is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 under firm reference number 900843 for the issuing of electronic money and the provision of payment initiation services and account information services under the Payment Services Regulations 2017. Tide is also authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its credit and insurance broking activities (firm reference 718743). Tide is incorporated and registered in England and Wales with company number 09595646 and registered office at 4th Floor The Featherstone Building, 66 City Road, London, EC1Y 2AL. Tide offers bank accounts powered by ClearBank® Ltd (ClearBank) (account sort code is 04-06-05). ClearBank is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 754568. Eligible deposits with ClearBank are protected up to a total of £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), the UK's deposit guarantee scheme. For further information visit Home. ClearBank Ltd is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register number: 754568). Registered Address: ClearBank, Level 27, The Broadgate Tower, 20 Primrose Street, London, United Kingdom, EC2A 2EW. Eligible deposits held in the Tide Business Current Account (powered by ClearBank) are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (“FSCS”) subject to eligibility. All eligible deposits at the same bank are aggregated to determine the coverage level for each depositor up to £120,000, therefore if you have any other product/services with ClearBank these will be aggregated. To find out more and to check your eligibility please visit: About us . Some of Tide’s members also hold e-money accounts powered by PrePay Technologies Limited (PPT) (account sort code is 23-69-72). PPT is an electronic money institution authorised by the FCA under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 under firm reference number 900010 for the issuing of electronic money. PPT holds an amount equivalent to the money in Tide current accounts in a safeguarding account which gives members protection against PPT’ insolvency. Tide Cards may be issued by both Tide and PPT, who are licensed by Mastercard International for the issuance of cards. The issuer of your Tide card will be identified on your monthly card statement. Tide Capital Limited is an appointed representative of P1 Investment Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 752005 to carry out such regulated activities as are involved in the provision of Tide Investment Account. Seccl Custody Limited is the custodian of assets held in Tide Investment Account and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference number 793200) and registered in England and Wales under No. 10430958. Registered office 20 Manvers Street, Bath BA1 1JW. Tide, the Tide logo, the Swell, and Do Less Banking are trademarks and trade names of Tide Platform Limited, and may not be used or reproduced without the consent of the owner.