Document Verification

Verify corporate documents across several categories: company formation and ownership, tax verification, bank verification, and PCI DSS compliance. The API checks that each document matches its declared type and extracts the relevant information; for ownership documents it also validates shareholder details against user-provided data.

Supported document types

Each document type has two identifiers: the snake_case value used as document_type when uploading the file, and the PascalCase value used in the verification request.

Company documents

Verification type	Upload type	Description
`KybCertificateOfIncorporation`	`kyb_certificate_of_incorporation`	Certificate of incorporation, articles of association, state registration, or similar formation documents
`KybOwnershipDocument`	`kyb_ownership_document`	Shareholder certificate, ownership registry extract, or similar documents listing beneficial owners
`KybOperatingAgreement`	`kyb_operating_agreement`	LLC operating agreement or similar company governance agreement

Tax verification documents

Verification type	Upload type	Description
`KybW9Form`	`kyb_w9_form`	IRS Form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification)
`KybEinConfirmationLetter`	`kyb_ein_confirmation_letter`	IRS EIN confirmation letter (CP 575) or EIN verification letter (147C)
`KybW8BenForm`	`kyb_w8ben_form`	IRS Form W-8BEN — foreign status certificate for individuals
`KybW8BenEForm`	`kyb_w8ben_e_form`	IRS Form W-8BEN-E — foreign status certificate for entities
`KybItinAssignmentLetter`	`kyb_itin_assignment_letter`	IRS ITIN assignment letter (CP 565)
`KybStateTaxRegistrationCertificate`	`kyb_state_tax_registration_certificate`	State tax registration certificate / sales tax permit
`KybFederalTaxReturn`	`kyb_federal_tax_return`	US federal business income tax return (e.g. Form 1120, 1065)

Bank verification documents

Verification type	Upload type	Description
`KybBankStatement`	`kyb_bank_statement`	Bank statement for a business account
`KybBankVerificationLetter`	`kyb_bank_verification_letter`	Bank verification / confirmation letter
`KybDirectDepositForm`	`kyb_direct_deposit_form`	Direct deposit authorization form
`KybAchForm`	`kyb_ach_form`	ACH authorization form
`KybBankReferenceLetter`	`kyb_bank_reference_letter`	Bank reference letter

PCI verification documents

Verification type	Upload type	Description
`KybSaqA`	`kyb_saq_a`	PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire A
`KybSaqAEp`	`kyb_saq_a_ep`	PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire A-EP
`KybSaqD`	`kyb_saq_d`	PCI DSS Self-Assessment Questionnaire D

Step 1: Create an applicant

Create an applicant to associate the verification with.

Curl
Python

export API_KEY=<YOUR_API_KEY>

curl -H "ds-api-token: $API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -X POST "https://api.dataspike.io/api/v3/applicants" \
  --data '{"external_id": "company-123"}'

Response:

{
  "id": "01827ed4-c928-7a3c-9a30-7ab7cc169d11"
}

import requests

API_KEY = "<YOUR_API_KEY>"
BASE = "https://api.dataspike.io"
HEADERS = {"ds-api-token": API_KEY, "Content-Type": "application/json"}

resp = requests.post(f"{BASE}/api/v3/applicants", headers=HEADERS, json={"external_id": "company-123"})
applicant_id = resp.json()["id"]

Step 2: Upload a document

Upload the corporate document using the file upload endpoint. Note the returned document_id — you will pass it to the verification request.

Curl
Python

APPLICANT_ID="01827ed4-c928-7a3c-9a30-7ab7cc169d11"

curl -H "ds-api-token: $API_KEY" \
  -X POST "https://api.dataspike.io/api/v3/upload/$APPLICANT_ID" \
  -F "file=@certificate_of_incorporation.pdf" \
  -F "document_type=kyb_certificate_of_incorporation"

Response:

{
  "document_id": "019c9c39-0b8a-7aa4-a5c0-abc123def456"
}

with open("certificate_of_incorporation.pdf", "rb") as f:
    resp = requests.post(
        f"{BASE}/api/v3/upload/{applicant_id}",
        headers={"ds-api-token": API_KEY},
        files={"file": f},
        data={"document_type": "kyb_certificate_of_incorporation"},
    )
document_id = resp.json()["document_id"]

Step 3: Submit verification request

Submit the document for KYB verification. Optionally provide shareholder data to validate against extracted information from the document.

Curl
Python

curl -H "ds-api-token: $API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -X POST "https://api.dataspike.io/api/v4/kyb/$APPLICANT_ID/verify-document" \
  --data '{
    "documents": [
      {
        "doc_path": "019c9c39-0b8a-7aa4-a5c0-abc123def456",
        "document_type": "KybCertificateOfIncorporation"
      }
    ],
    "user_provided_data": {
      "shareholders": [
        {
          "name": "John Doe",
          "first_name": "John",
          "last_name": "Doe",
          "nationality": "US"
        }
      ]
    }
  }'

Response (HTTP 202):

{
  "request_id": "019c9e79-8f48-73e1-86e3-317a95f43178",
  "status": "initial"
}

resp = requests.post(
    f"{BASE}/api/v4/kyb/{applicant_id}/verify-document",
    headers=HEADERS,
    json={
        "documents": [
            {"doc_path": document_id, "document_type": "KybCertificateOfIncorporation"}
        ],
        "user_provided_data": {
            "shareholders": [
                {"name": "John Doe", "first_name": "John", "last_name": "Doe", "nationality": "US"}
            ]
        },
    },
)
request_id = resp.json()["request_id"]

Request body

Field	Type	Required	Description
`documents`	array	Yes	List of documents to verify
`documents[].doc_path`	string	Yes	Document ID returned from the upload endpoint
`documents[].document_type`	string	Yes	A PascalCase verification type from Supported document types (e.g. `KybCertificateOfIncorporation`, `KybW9Form`)
`user_provided_data`	object	Conditional	Shareholder data to validate against the document. Required when the request includes `KybCertificateOfIncorporation` or `KybOwnershipDocument`; not used for other document types
`user_provided_data.shareholders`	array	Conditional	List of shareholders to verify
`user_provided_data.shareholders[].name`	string	No	Full name
`user_provided_data.shareholders[].first_name`	string	No	First name
`user_provided_data.shareholders[].last_name`	string	No	Last name
`user_provided_data.shareholders[].nationality`	string	No	Country code (e.g. `US`)

Step 4: Poll for the result

The verification takes approximately 15-30 seconds. Poll the result endpoint until the status changes from initial.

Curl
Python

REQUEST_ID="019c9e79-8f48-73e1-86e3-317a95f43178"

curl -H "ds-api-token: $API_KEY" \
  "https://api.dataspike.io/api/v4/kyb/result/$REQUEST_ID"

Example response (verified):

{
  "request_id": "019c9e79-8f48-73e1-86e3-317a95f43178",
  "status": "verified",
  "verification_type": "document_verification",
  "response_data": {
    "result": {
      "status": "VERIFIED",
      "document_results": [
        {
          "status": "VERIFIED",
          "document": {
            "document_type": "KybCertificateOfIncorporation"
          },
          "extracted_shareholders": [
            {
              "name": "John Doe",
              "first_name": "John",
              "last_name": "Doe",
              "country": "US"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "extracted_company_info": {
        "company_name": "Acme Corp.",
        "jurisdiction": "US",
        "address": "123 Main St, Dover, DE 19901"
      }
    }
  },
  "created_at": "2026-02-27T09:41:32.629118Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-02-27T09:42:02.004789Z"
}

import time

while True:
    resp = requests.get(f"{BASE}/api/v4/kyb/result/{request_id}", headers=HEADERS)
    result = resp.json()
    if result["status"] != "initial":
        break
    time.sleep(5)

print(result)

Extracted document information

For the tax, bank, company and PCI document types, each entry in response_data.result.document_results[] carries a family-specific object with the fields extracted from the document. Empty fields are omitted from the response.

Field	Document types	Example fields
`extracted_tax_info`	W-9, EIN letter, W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, ITIN letter, state tax registration, federal tax return	`form_variant`, `business_name`, `tax_id`, `tax_id_type`, `tax_classification`, `address`, `tax_year`, `issue_date`, `signature_date`, `issuer`, `country`, `date_of_birth`, `fatca_status`, `giin`
`extracted_bank_info`	Bank statement, verification letter, direct deposit, ACH form, reference letter	`bank_name`, `account_holder_name`, `account_holder_address`, `account_number`, `routing_number`, `account_type`, `statement_period_start`, `statement_period_end`, `issue_date`, `closing_balance`
`extracted_company_doc_info`	Operating agreement	`company_name`, `jurisdiction`, `registration_number`, `company_type`, `effective_date`, `address`, `members`
`extracted_pci_info`	SAQ A, SAQ A-EP, SAQ D	`saq_type`, `merchant_name`, `assessment_date`, `signature_date`, `compliance_status`, `signatory_name`, `qsa_name`

Example document_results[] entry for a verified W-9:

{
  "status": "VERIFIED",
  "document": {
    "doc_path": "019c9c39-0b8a-7aa4-a5c0-abc123def456",
    "document_type": "KybW9Form"
  },
  "extracted_tax_info": {
    "form_variant": "W-9",
    "business_name": "Acme Web Services LLC",
    "tax_id": "82-1234567",
    "tax_id_type": "EIN",
    "tax_classification": "Limited liability company (C corporation)",
    "address": "1201 Market St, Suite 400, Wilmington, DE 19801",
    "signature_date": "2026-05-14"
  }
}

Verification errors

When a document verification returns not_verified, the response_data.result.document_results[].errors array contains one or more of the following error codes:

Error code	Description
`SHAREHOLDER_NAME_NOT_FOUND`	A provided shareholder name was not found in the document
`SHAREHOLDER_NAME_MISMATCH`	A shareholder name was found but does not match the provided data
`SHAREHOLDER_NATIONALITY_MISMATCH`	Shareholder nationality does not match
`DOCUMENT_UNREADABLE`	The document could not be parsed or read
`DOCUMENT_TYPE_NOT_SUPPORTED`	The document type is not supported
`DOCUMENTS_FROM_DIFFERENT_ENTITIES`	Multiple documents appear to belong to different companies
`IRRELEVANT_DOCUMENT_PROVIDED`	The provided document does not match the declared document type or is not relevant for KYB verification

Getting started

Web SDK

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