Document Verification (DVS)

Medicare card verification API

The details on a Medicare card are checked against the record held by the issuer, through the national Document Verification Service. Global Data is an accredited gateway, so the query reaches the issuer rather than a copied dataset.

Cards sent as card type G, Y or B, checked on the card number, the individual reference number and the expiry
An answer in seconds, with a reason and code returned when the details do not match
Run it from the Portal on day one, or from your own system later

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For developers

After the technical detail?

For the technical detail, go to the API documentation. It holds the request and response schema, the integration guides and the error codes for this endpoint.

Request and response schema
DVS response codes and sandbox test values

View developer documentation

Access to live endpoints is granted once your account is approved.

Accredited DVS gateway Encrypted in transit and at rest Handled under the Australian Privacy Principles

What the check gives you

Confirming a Medicare card is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it

Your system sends the details taken from the card to its issuer through the DVS. The issuer reports whether they match the record it holds, so a card that was never issued, has expired, or belongs to someone else is caught before the customer is onboarded. The record itself is not returned. The answer is, with a reason code when the details do not match.

The card was issued

The card number, the card type and the expiry correspond to a card the issuer has actually issued. An invented number or a wrong expiry matches nothing.

It belongs to this person

The name as printed on the card, up to four lines, the date of birth and the individual reference number beside the name are checked against the same record. A genuine card presented with someone else's details will not pass.

Why it did not match

A result that is not a match comes back with a message and a code from the issuer, so your team can tell a card that is not held electronically from one whose details disagree.

How a check runs

From the details your customer gives you to a recorded answer

Consent is sent with every request. The check is routed to the issuer of the card.

The name is sent as up to four lines, as printed on the card. The individual reference number is the single digit printed beside the name. The card type is sent as G, Y or B and the expiry as year and month.

Reading the result

What each answer means for the customer in front of you

A check returns one of four results. Anything other than a match carries a message and a code explaining why.

Valid

The details agree

The Medicare card is genuine and the details you supplied match the record held by the issuer. The document requirement for this customer is met.

No match

The details do not agree

The details you supplied do not match the record held by the issuer. A message and code name the problem, so your team can correct an entry rather than decline a customer.

Not captured

The record is invalid or not held electronically

The issuer reports that the Medicare card is invalid or is not captured electronically, so it cannot be verified through the DVS. A message and code explain which.

Service error

The DVS could not answer

The issuer or the DVS was unavailable. Nothing is concluded about the details and the check should be run again later.

What it costs

A monthly subscription, drawn down as you run checks

Your subscription is credited to your account each month and each check consumes credits from it. If you go past the included amount, further checks are charged at a per-check rate. The rate depends on the volume you commit to, so the sales team is the fastest way to find where your business lands.

Volume-based pricing
No lock-in contract

How billing works

Subscribe monthly, spend it as credits

The monthly subscription arrives as credits on your account.
Each check draws down credits as it runs.
Checks beyond the included credits are billed per check.
Higher monthly volume moves you to a lower rate.

Talk to sales about volume

Related checks

Questions we get asked about the Medicare card check

What is the individual reference number?

The single digit, from 1 to 9, printed beside each person's name on the card. It identifies which of the people listed on the card is being checked and must be sent with the card number.

How do we send a name that runs over several lines?

The card holder's name is sent as up to four separate lines, exactly as printed on the card. Each line goes in its own field, in the order it appears.

Does the card type matter?

Yes. The card type is sent as G, Y or B, and the expiry is sent as a year and month. Both are checked against the record.

Is the customer's consent required?

Yes. The DVS only permits a check where the person has agreed to it. Consent is sent with every request.

What should we do with a result that is not a match?

Read the message and code that come back with it. A no-match result means the details supplied did not match what the issuer holds, which is often a name entered differently from the record or a mistyped number. A not-captured result means the document is invalid or is not held electronically by the issuer. Correct the entry and run it again before you decline anyone.

Can we validate the details before spending a check?

Yes. A preflight option validates the details you have collected without performing the verification, so a malformed date or a missing number can be caught and corrected in front of the customer. A preflight that passes returns a 202 response; one that fails returns a 400.

What happens if the same document is checked repeatedly?

The DVS locks a document out after a high number of attempts in a short period, between 4 and 10 depending on the document type. A locked document returns a no-match with the code DVS-001 and the message Document Temporarily Locked. The lock expires 20 minutes after the last attempt, and any attempt during that period restarts the timer.

How do we get access?

We confirm that your business is entitled to run document checks and what you intend to use them for, then open the account. A sandbox is available first, where a set of test document numbers returns each of the possible results so you can build against them before going live.

Getting started

The first step to DVS access is a conversation

We will confirm what your business is entitled to check, what it costs at the volume you expect, and whether the Portal or an integration suits you better.