If you’ve ever had to verify your identity with a bank or financial service in South Africa, chances are your details went through a Department of Home Affairs check.

It’s been a quiet background process for years—but come 1 July 2025, it’s about to get a lot more expensive, and that might just affect your bank fees too.

What Is Home Affairs Verification?

For over a decade, financial institutions have used real-time verification tools to access the National Population Registry (NPR).

This lets them confirm your name, ID number, and other biographical details directly with the Department of Home Affairs.

This service is mostly used by banks, loan providers, and insurance firms.

It ensures the person applying for a service is who they say they are.

And until now, that verification came at a bargain price—just 15 cents per check.

Massive Fee Increase on the Horizon

Starting Tuesday, 1 July 2025, that 15c verification fee is jumping to R10 per enquiry—a staggering 666% increase, as reported by BusinessTech.

While the Department of Home Affairs argues that the current pricing was never sustainable, industry experts warn this might result in higher fees being passed onto everyday South Africans by banks and service providers.

Why the Big Price Change?

According to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, the old 15c rate was “completely unsustainable” and far below what similar services cost elsewhere.

This chronic underpricing, he says, led to frequent technical breakdowns and a failure rate of over 50%—meaning many verifications just didn’t go through properly.

In simple terms, the system couldn’t keep up with the demand—especially as more and more services (like SASSA grant distribution) started relying on it.

New Features and Off-Peak Discounts

To balance the blow, the Department is also introducing tiered pricing.

For instance, large-volume, off-peak verification requests can be processed at a discounted rate of R1 per check.

Initially, the pricing change was supposed to kick in on 1 April 2025, but it was withdrawn and delayed until July to allow for adjustments.

What Does This Mean for You?

The big question is whether banks will simply absorb the cost—or pass it on to customers through higher service fees.

While the Department promises that the upgraded system will now offer real-time results with a failure rate below 1%, the financial burden may shift downstream.

The good news? Government departments like SASSA will still get to use the service for free.

But for the private sector, the days of cheap verification are officially over.

Real-Time Tech, Real-Time Questions

This technology is expected to work a lot faster now.

Gone are the days where a verification could take hours—even successful ones.

Now, the system promises immediate results.

But while it’s great for efficiency, the sharp price tag raises real questions about cost-sharing and consumer impact.

So, Will Bank Charges Go Up?

That’s the million-rand question. As this change rolls out, all eyes will be on how financial institutions react.

Will they shoulder the cost, reduce verifications, or quietly increase their service fees?

Let us know what you think—would you be willing to pay more for faster, more secure ID checks?