Right to work checks for pubs, restaurants and hotels: the online share code check, the manual document check, when to repeat them, agency and student staff, and the penalties for getting it wrong
How to carry out right to work checks in UK hospitality: the Home Office online check with a share code, the manual check for British and Irish passports, IDVT checks, follow-up checks for time-limited permission, students and agency workers, record keeping and the civil penalty of up to £60,000 per worker.
Every employer in the UK must check that a person has the right to work here before they start, and hospitality is the sector the Home Office inspects most. The penalty for employing someone who does not have the right to work rose in February 2024 to £45,000 per worker for a first breach and £60,000 for a repeat, and the only defence is a check done properly, on time, and recorded. The good news is that the check itself takes ten minutes when you know which of the three routes applies.
This guide covers the online check using a share code, the manual check for British and Irish citizens, the certified digital route, when a follow-up check is due, the rules for students and agency staff, and how to keep the record so the statutory excuse holds up.
7 steps to complete
Work out which check applies to this person
There are three routes. British and Irish citizens cannot use the online service and are checked manually against their passport or, if they have none, through an Identity Service Provider using Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT). Anyone with a biometric residence permit, biometric residence card, e-visa or status under the EU Settlement Scheme is checked online with a share code. A small number of people with outstanding applications or appeals are checked through the Employer Checking Service. The check must be done before the first shift, not in the first week.
Online check: get the share code and verify it
The worker logs into their UKVI account and generates a share code beginning with W, valid for 90 days. You enter the code and their date of birth on the GOV.UK employer checking page, confirm the photograph matches the person in front of you or on a video call, and check the conditions: whether the permission is time-limited and whether there are hours restrictions. Save the result page as a PDF or print it; that page, dated, is your record. Do not accept a screenshot the worker sends you of their own status page.
Manual check: see the original document with the person present
For British and Irish citizens, see the original passport (or Irish passport card) or, if they have neither, a birth certificate with an official document showing their National Insurance number. Check it is genuine, belongs to the person, the photograph and date of birth are consistent, and nothing has expired that should not have. Take a clear copy of the pages with the person's details and photograph, write the date you did the check and your name on it, and keep it. The person must be present, in person or on a live video call while you hold the original.
IDVT check for British and Irish passports
Since 2022 you can use a certified Identity Service Provider to check a valid British or Irish passport digitally, which suits venues that recruit remotely. The provider verifies the passport and the person's identity and gives you a result; you still have to check the photograph matches the person you are employing and keep the IDVT output with the date. It cannot be used for expired passports or other documents.
Diarise follow-up checks for time-limited permission
If the online check shows permission that expires, you must repeat the check before that date. Set the reminder in the same place as the licence renewals and training expiries, with a month's lead time so a worker who is applying to extend can produce a Certificate of Application in time. If permission has lapsed and the worker cannot show a valid extension or pending application, they cannot work until they can.
Students, agency staff and sponsored workers
Students on a Student visa can usually work 20 hours a week in term time and full time in vacations; you must hold evidence of their term dates from the institution to show the hours are lawful, and the timesheet is what proves it. Agency workers are checked by the agency, but if you take them onto your own payroll the check becomes yours to do. Sponsored workers on a Skilled Worker visa can only work for their sponsor unless the visa allows supplementary work in the same occupation for up to 20 hours a week, so a chef on another employer's sponsorship cannot simply do shifts for you.
Keep the record for the life of employment plus two years
The statutory excuse only exists if you can produce the record: the dated copy or online result, who checked it, and any follow-up checks. Keep it securely, separate from the general personnel file if you can, for two years after the person leaves. Enforcement visits ask for the file for every person on the rota that day, so the record has to be findable in minutes.
Tips for success
Common mistakes to avoid
Frequently asked questions
What is the penalty for employing someone without the right to work?
Since 13 February 2024 the civil penalty is up to £45,000 per worker for a first breach and up to £60,000 per worker for a repeat within three years. Knowingly employing an illegal worker is a criminal offence with up to five years in prison.
Can I check a British passport using the Home Office online service?
No. British and Irish citizens are checked manually against the original passport, or through a certified Identity Service Provider using IDVT. The online share code service is for people with digital immigration status.
How long is a share code valid?
90 days from when the worker generates it. You must complete the check while it is valid and keep the result page as your record.
Do I need to re-check right to work for existing staff?
Only where the original check showed time-limited permission, in which case a follow-up is due before it expires. Staff with permanent status, British and Irish citizens and those checked properly at the start do not need routine re-checks.
Need hands-on help with this?
Our hospitality consultants work alongside your team to implement food safety systems, prepare for inspections, and improve compliance.
Ready to simplify compliance?
Paddl automates the processes described in this guide. Digital records, automatic alerts, and complete audit trails for your hospitality business.
Full access to all features · Dedicated onboarding support · Cancel anytime