Verification and Compliance
Every document an operator, asset and crew member must pass before listing, by vertical, and how expiry is monitored.
Updated 2 November 2026 · 19 min read
Version 3.0. Effective 2 November 2026.
In short
- Nothing is listed until it is verified. There is no provisional listing. Only registered companies can list.
- You hold your own commercial transport and vehicle licences and your own commercial insurance. Insurance is a hard gate: no valid commercial insurance, no listing.
- We check the documents for your vertical, and every chauffeur, captain and pilot individually. Jets: only Air Operator's Certificate holders, with each aircraft on the operations specifications.
- We check expiry dates every day. Anything that expires is suspended automatically until the renewal is verified.
- Verification is a point in time check for the platform. It does not certify that you are compliant. You remain responsible for every licence the law requires.
- A refused application can ask for a review within 14 days. A suspension or delisting can ask within 30 days.
- Lagos car operators are registered under Pickup's Service Entity Permit once it is granted. Car bookings in Lagos open then.
This summary is for convenience only. The numbered clauses below are the binding terms and govern if there is any difference.
1. Status
1.1 This is the Verification Standard referred to in the Operator Agreement, and forms part of it. It is issued by Pickup Technology Limited, RC 9548096, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State, Nigeria ("Pickup", "we"). Our Terms of Use also apply. Capitalised words not defined here have the meaning in the Operator Agreement.
1.2 Identity checks are carried out as clause 2.1 describes. Personal data in verification is handled under our Privacy Policy.
1.3 Verification means we have checked documents against this Standard and satisfied ourselves at the time of the check. It is a point in time check. It is not a guarantee of performance, a certificate of compliance, a licence, or an inspection of any vehicle, vessel or aircraft, and no regulator has approved it. The Operator remains responsible for holding every licence the law requires, and gives the compliance warranties in the Operator Agreement.
1.4 In this Standard, the "2023 Lagos Regulation" means the Amended Regulation for On-line Hailing Business and Taxi Cab Operation in Lagos State (2023), made under the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018.
1.5 Where this Standard sets a lower requirement than the law, the law applies. Where it sets a higher one, it is a condition of listing on Pickup.
2. Every Operator, every vertical
| Requirement | What we check |
|---|---|
| Corporate Affairs Commission registration | Certificate of incorporation under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020; company active; name and RC number match |
| CAC status report | Directors, shareholders and persons with significant control identified; address consistent |
| Tax Identification Number | Present and matched to the company |
| Director or signatory | The BVN of a director or account signatory named on the CAC record. The BVN itself is not kept |
| Responsible Person | One named individual accountable for compliance, who is a director or an authorised member of staff, and who passes the ID check in clause 2.1 |
| Sanctions and financial crime | The Operator warrants that no sanctions apply to it. We may screen the company, its directors and persons with significant control against applicable sanctions and watch lists at any time, under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022. Staff carry out extra checks on every Booking paid over ₦5,000,000 |
| Proof of operating address | Physical premises in the market of operation |
| Corporate bank account | A verified Nigerian business account in the registered company name, checked by name with the bank. We never settle to personal accounts. A new payout account starts to receive payouts 72 hours after that check, and we email the account owner when a change is requested |
| Insurance | Commercial cover for every listed asset, with an insurer licensed by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), at the minimums in the Operator Agreement. We check the policy document, its basis and its expiry date. Pickup does not sell insurance and names no insurer. Hard gate |
| Commercial transport and vehicle licences (cars only) | The Operator's own commercial transport and vehicle licences for its fleet, and any operator licence the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, or any other relevant authority, requires of a car rental (chauffeur hire) business. Hard gate for car Listings |
| Operator Agreement and Fee Schedule | Signed by typed name and accepted in the app, with each declaration accepted |
| Operator Mode users | The Operator gives access only to authorised staff. Access ends when the Operator removes the person |
2.1 The ID check. A person chooses one of two routes. Automated check: our verification provider, Dojah, matches a selfie with the person's NIN record or photo ID. That face match is biometric, so it needs an unticked consent first. Manual review: the person uploads two photos, a photo of their ID and a photo of them holding it. Trained staff look at them, with no face matching software and no template.
2.2 Operators outside a live state. An Operator can sign up in a state where Pickup is not live yet. We tell it at sign up that its documents are held for verification ahead of launch there, and its approved Listings wait until launch.
3. Chauffeur driven cars
Cars are always chauffeur driven. Pickup never lists a car for self drive hire.
3.1 Per Operator
- Registration under Pickup's Service Entity Permit (car rental, chauffeur hire category). Pickup has applied for the permit and registers each car Operator under it once it is granted. The 2023 Lagos Regulation requires every operator to be registered under a licensed Service Entity Permit, and no single operator is licensed on its own (section 4.1A VIII).
- An Operator that lists on Pickup does not need its own Operator's Provisional Licence. That licence applies to taxi cab and app operators that own and run their own app (sections 3.2.3(b) and 4.1B). An Operator that also runs its own booking app for hackney carriage services must hold it.
- Any other licence or permit the Ministry or the Service Entity Permit requires of the Operator, and cooperation with the Ministry's inspections and requests (sections 3.10 and 4.2.1(b)).
- For interstate trips, any permit, registration or insurance endorsement the law requires for the vehicle to carry passengers for hire outside Lagos State.
3.2 Per vehicle
The Operator provides:
| Document | Purpose | Expiry monitored |
|---|---|---|
| Hackney permit | Vehicle permitted to carry passengers for hire | Yes |
| Commercial registration, or Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) exemption | Vehicle registered for commercial use, or lawfully exempt | Yes |
| Lagos permit and Lagos State registration | Vehicle permitted and registered in Lagos State | Yes |
| Vehicle licence | Registration current and matched to the Operator | Yes |
| Roadworthiness certificate | Vehicle inspected and fit for use. A new vehicle is certified after six months of use; a vehicle that is not new is recertified every six months, or at once if a check is evidently needed (section 3.11.3(j)) | Yes |
| Commercial motor insurance | Luxury tier cars: a comprehensive commercial policy (hire and reward) that covers passengers. Standard cars: a hire and reward policy with a passenger endorsement, and at least the third party cover the Motor Vehicles (Third Party Insurance) Act requires. A private use policy is not accepted | Yes |
| Tracking device data | A device is fitted, and its data can be provided, so the vehicle's movement can be tracked and monitored (section 3.11.3(f)) | No |
| Inspection logs | The Ministry's periodic inspection, and the Annual Special Taxicab Inspection at least once a year, in addition to roadworthiness certification (section 3.12) | Yes |
| Vehicle tag | The pre registration inspection certificate and route document (body tag) the Regulation lists for commuter vehicles, where the Ministry requires them for hackney carriages booked through a Service Entity (section 4.1C) | Yes |
| Proof of ownership or lease | Optional. We may ask for it, including a written authority where the Operator does not own the vehicle | No |
| Photographs | Plate legible; images match the Listing | No |
3.2.1 The Operator also warrants, and we may ask for evidence, that each car:
(a) meets the age limits the 2023 Lagos Regulation sets for its category (for corporate taxis, no more than 3 years from its date of manufacture when first used and no more than 10 years in service); (b) has an engine capacity of at least 1.3 litres (section 3.11(iii)); (c) has a safety features compliance form completed, signed and dated on the Ministry's form (section 3.11(iv)); and (d) has a permanently installed air conditioning system that regulates the passenger cabin temperature (section 3.11.3(g)).
3.3 Per chauffeur
Required before a chauffeur can be assigned:
| Document | Purpose | Expiry monitored |
|---|---|---|
| NIN and ID check | Identity confirmed under clause 2.1 | No |
| FRSC national driving licence | Valid for the vehicle class | Yes |
| Operator confirmation | The Operator confirms that the chauffeur works for it and is authorised for its vehicles. By inviting the chauffeur, it also warrants that the chauffeur is at least 21 and meets the citizenship and literacy standards the 2023 Lagos Regulation sets (sections 4.1D(a) and 4.2.5(a)(i)) | No |
| Photograph | Shown to the Guest before the trip | No |
Collected when available, and required on notice:
| Document | Purpose | Expiry monitored |
|---|---|---|
| LASDRI certificate of competence and card | Lagos State Drivers' Institute certification, renewed annually | Yes |
| Driver's badge | Issued by the Licensing Authority under section 4.2.5(b) | Yes |
| LASRRA card | Lagos State Residents Registration Agency registration | No |
3.3.1 The later documents become required on the date we give in the app, at least 30 days ahead, unless the law or the Ministry requires them sooner. Until then, they do not block assignment.
3.4 Operating rules for cars in Lagos
Pickup has applied for the Lagos State Service Entity Permit in the car rental (chauffeur hire) category. The car standards in this section follow the 2023 Lagos Regulation, and Pickup applies them as its own standard.
- Chauffeurs must not solicit or accept street hails (section 4.2.8). Every trip is booked in advance through the Platform.
- Driving hours: no chauffeur may drive for more than 5.5 hours without a break, or more than 10.5 hours in any 24 hours (Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, as listed in section 3.1 of the Regulation). The limits count all of the chauffeur's driving, for every Operator. For a long Booking the Operator must plan breaks so the chauffeur stays within them. Pickup does not offer a second chauffeur.
- Vehicles are kept clean, undamaged and free of anything a passenger would find unpleasant, inside and out, including the boot (section 3.11.3).
- Taxicab specific rules in the Regulation, such as a taximeter and a taxicab licence instrument on the vehicle (sections 3.3 and 3.10), do not apply to cars on Pickup, which are booked in advance through a Service Entity, unless the Ministry requires them. If it does, Pickup gives Operators notice in the app of the date they apply.
4. Crewed boats and yachts
4.1 Per Operator
| Document | Purpose | Expiry monitored |
|---|---|---|
| Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) licence or permit, for Lagos waters | Permitted to operate on Lagos waterways | Yes |
| National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) registration for federal inland waterways, or the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) licence for coastal and sea routes, as applicable | Permitted to carry passengers commercially | Yes |
4.2 Per vessel
| Document | Purpose | Expiry monitored |
|---|---|---|
| Survey, seaworthiness or inspection certificate | Condition assessed by a competent party | Yes |
| Approved passenger capacity | Recorded and enforced by the booking system. Infants count toward the limit | No |
| Marine insurance | Cover in force for commercial use and the approved capacity, including passenger liability, third party liability and hull cover | Yes |
| Proof of ownership or charter agreement | Optional. We may ask for it | No |
4.2.1 The Operator also warrants, and we may ask for evidence, that the vessel is registered with the applicable authority (under the Merchant Shipping Act 2007 or LASWA rules as applicable), and carries life jackets for full certified capacity and the other safety equipment the law requires.
4.3 Per captain and crew
| Document | Purpose | Expiry monitored |
|---|---|---|
| NIN and ID check | Identity confirmed under clause 2.1 | No |
| Captain or coxswain certificate of competency | Issued or recognised by NIMASA for the vessel's size, type and waters | Yes |
| Seafarer medical fitness certificate | Crew medically fit for duty | Yes |
| Photograph | Kept on file for the Operator and Pickup. Guests see boat crew by role only | No |
| LASWA boat captain licence or permit, on Lagos inland waterways | Any licence LASWA requires of the person in charge of the vessel. Required on notice, at least 30 days ahead unless LASWA requires it sooner | Yes |
4.3.1 The Operator warrants that crew numbers and certification meet the vessel's safe manning and the waters. Pickup staff approve each crew member before assignment.
4.4 Operating rules
Boat trips run in daylight only: departure after sunrise and return before sunset. This is Pickup's rule for every boat Listing, in line with Lagos waterways rules, and Operators cannot switch it off. Everyone aboard, including the captain and crew, wears a life jacket at all times on deck and in any tender. The captain has final authority on every matter of safety. Many jetties are run by third parties. Pickup does not control them and does not promise they are safe. The Operator must use a boarding point that is safe for its Guests and tell them of any hazard it knows of.
5. Private jet charter
5.1 Per Operator
| Document | Purpose | Expiry monitored |
|---|---|---|
| Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) | Operator certificated for commercial air transport under the Civil Aviation Act 2022 and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations | Yes |
| Operations specifications | Each listed aircraft and operation type is included. Checked against the AOC | No |
5.2 Per aircraft
| Document | Purpose | Expiry monitored |
|---|---|---|
| Listed on the AOC holder's operations specifications | Aircraft authorised for commercial charter | No |
| Certificate of registration | Registration current | No |
| Certificate of airworthiness | Airworthy and maintained | Yes |
| Aircraft insurance | The insurance the NCAA requires of Air Operator's Certificate holders, complying with the Montreal Convention as applied by the Civil Aviation Act 2022, including passenger liability and third party liability. Certificate collected at verification | Yes |
| International operations approval | Optional, for international flights | Yes |
5.2.1 Never listed: any aircraft permitted only for private, non commercial flight. An Operator without a current AOC cannot list in any circumstance.
5.3 Crew
Before assignment, each crew member provides an ID check under clause 2.1 and a photograph, and:
- each pilot provides a current NCAA licence (ATPL or CPL, or an NCAA validation of a foreign licence), a type rating for the aircraft and a current Class 1 medical certificate, with the licence and medical expiry monitored;
- cabin crew provide a cabin crew attestation and a medical certificate, with expiry monitored; and
- handlers provide a FAAN airside pass for the airport they work.
The Operator warrants that every crew member is within the flight time, duty and rest limits of its NCAA-approved scheme. Crew management remains the AOC holder's responsibility under NCAA supervision.
5.4 Passengers and the manifest
The Booker's ID check must be approved before the trip, and is submitted as soon as possible after booking. On a car or boat, a lead guest who is on Pickup checks their own ID. Most manual reviews finish within 24 hours, and some take up to 3 working days.
The deadline for the ID check on a car or boat is 24 hours before the trip starts. A car or boat booked later than that must finish the check before the trip starts. For each jet Booking the Booker submits a passenger manifest (names and passport or ID details) by the cutoff: 24 hours before departure for international flights, 6 hours for domestic. The jet ID check has the same cutoff. A jet booked after the cutoff has 2 hours from booking, never past wheels up.
A missed deadline counts as the Guest cancelling at that time, under the Booking's cancellation option, and checkout warns of this. A check that has been sent and that Pickup has not yet decided is not treated as missed. The Operator reviews the manifest and taps Approve manifest in the app. Pickup passes the details on and does not judge passports. Physical document checks, security screening and boarding decisions at the terminal remain the Operator's responsibility under its AOC. NCAA and aviation security screening stays absolute on every jet segment.
6. Security add ons
6.1 An Operator may offer a security add on only through a private guard company licensed by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) under the Private Guard Companies Act, whose licence we have verified.
6.2 Security personnel supplied this way are always unarmed. No armed escorts are arranged through Pickup, and police escorts are never offered. The Weapons and Prohibited Items Policy applies to security personnel as it does to crew. That policy sets out the exception for on duty state security officials lawfully authorised to carry.
7. Listing states
| State | Visible to Guests | Can take Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| In review | No | No |
| Needs a fix | No | No |
| Live | Yes | Yes |
| Paused | No | No. If Pickup pauses a Listing for an expired document, its upcoming Bookings are cancelled with a full refund |
| Approved, waiting for launch | No | No, until Pickup launches in that state |
7.1 An Operator can pause its own Listing. Only Pickup staff can approve a Listing or lift a pause Pickup applied. Every change Pickup makes is logged with the person, time and reason.
8. Expiry monitoring
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 30 days before expiry | Reminder to the Responsible Person, and to the crew member and their Operator for a personal document |
| 14 days before | Second reminder to the Responsible Person |
| 7 days before | Second reminder to the crew member and their Operator, for a personal document |
| 3 days before | Final reminder to the Responsible Person |
| On expiry | Daily check suspends the asset or individual automatically |
| Renewal received | Pickup staff verify it and restore the Listing or the person |
8.1 Expired licences or insurance suspend access automatically, without discretion. Upcoming Bookings on a suspended Listing are cancelled with a full refund under the Cancellation and Refund Policy, and they count as the Operator's cancellations.
9. Audit and regulatory data
9.1 We may confirm any document with its issuer, inspect any asset on reasonable notice, and verify again at any time.
9.2 From the date the Lagos State Service Entity Permit is granted, Pickup reports the chauffeur and vehicle data verified under this Standard to the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation weekly and monthly, with trip and accident data, as the Operator Agreement and Regulatory Information describe. These reports hold only what the Regulation requires, and no Guest trip histories. The Ministry's appointed auditors may verify them.
10. Disqualification
10.1 An application is refused, or a Listing removed, for:
(a) any document that cannot be verified as genuine and current; (b) a mismatch between the company, asset ownership or right to use, and settlement account; (c) insurance not on a commercial passenger basis; (d) a sanctions match, or a financial crime concern we or the payment provider cannot resolve; or (e) refusal to name a Responsible Person or accept the Operator Agreement.
10.2 A forged or altered document means permanent delisting and, where appropriate, referral to the relevant authority.
11. Decisions, reviews and timing
11.1 Most checks finish within a few business days of a complete application. Where a document cannot be confirmed with its issuer in that time, we tell the Responsible Person what is outstanding.
11.2 If we refuse an application or suspend or delist an asset or person, we give the reason unless the law prevents us or it would prejudice an investigation or someone's safety. A refused applicant may ask for a review by a person who did not make the decision, in the app, within 14 days of the decision. The Operator, or the crew member for a decision about them, may ask for a review of a suspension or delisting, through support, within 30 days. The review is decided within 14 days of the request. The disputes route in the Operator Agreement or the Crew Terms then applies.
11.3 A refused applicant may apply again once the reason for refusal is resolved, except after a finding of forgery or falsity.
12. Records and data
12.1 We keep ID document records and anti money laundering records, including ID check results and the log in clause 7.1, for 5 years after the Operator or crew member leaves the Platform, as anti money laundering law requires. Selfies and face templates are deleted 30 days after the identity decision, or 7 days after consent is withdrawn. Financial records, booking ledgers and tax invoices are kept for 5 years. A legal hold, a regulator's request or a live claim overrides these periods.
12.2 Personal data collected for Verification is processed as the Privacy Policy describes, under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA). The face match in the automated check is biometric data, which is sensitive personal data. It is processed only with the person's separate, explicit consent. Anyone who does not consent can use the manual review in clause 2.1. Consent can be withdrawn in Profile > Security > Identity check, or through Help, or by email to privacy@pickupltd.com. ID files are open only to Trust and Safety and Compliance staff, and every opening is logged. Pickup does not use ID images, selfies or face templates to train any model. Automated checks never decide alone: apart from the automatic suspension for an expired document, a person reviews any check that would refuse, suspend or delist.
13. Changes, governing law and contact
13.1 We may update this Standard when the law, a regulator or the risks change. We give at least 30 days' notice in the app of any new document requirement, unless the law or safety requires it sooner. Existing Listings must meet a new requirement by the date in the notice.
13.2 This Standard is governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Disputes are resolved under the disputes clause of the Operator Agreement.
13.3 Questions about verification: operator support in Operator Mode. Legal notices: by email to legal@pickupltd.com, effective when received.
Questions about this document?
Email legal@pickupltd.com or write to Pickup Technology Limited, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State, Nigeria. For help with a booking, use Help in the app.
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