KYC Levels

Every customer has a KYC level. It tells you how much has been collected and verified about that person, and it sets the limits that apply to them. A customer is never anonymous: the first level is reached as soon as the customer is created, because the identity fields are all required.

The three levels

KYC level	`verification_level`	How it is reached	What has been collected
Level 1	`basic`	Automatically, when you create the customer	Declared identity: first name, last name, date of birth, email, phone number and full address (address, city, state, postal code, country). All of these fields are required
Level 2	`verified`	When the identity verification (KYC) is approved	Level 1, plus an official identity document and a biometric check, verified by our provider
Level 3	`full`	When the proof of address (POA) is approved	Level 2, plus a verified proof of address

The level of a customer is returned as verification_level on every customer object.

Level 1 is based on the information you declare for your customer. It is not a document verification: that is what level 2 adds.

Moving up

Level 1 (basic)  ──KYC approved──▶  Level 2 (verified)  ──POA approved──▶  Level 3 (full)

Level 1 → Level 2: request a verification link for your customer and let them complete it. See KYC flow.
Level 2 → Level 3: send the proof of address document. See POA flow.

Levels cannot be skipped: a proof of address is refused until the customer’s KYC is approved. You are notified of every change by webhook (kyc.* and poa.* events).

Moving down

A level describes verified information. When that information changes, the verification no longer covers it, and the customer is moved down automatically:

What you change on the customer	Result
`first_name`, `last_name` or `date_of_birth`	Back to level 1. The KYC and the proof of address must be done again
`address`, `city`, `state`, `postal_code` or `country`	The proof of address is reset. A level 3 customer goes back to level 2

Sending the same value again does not change the level.

What each level allows

Cards

Each card product states the level it requires, and its limits for each level. Read them on the product, from GET /cards/products:

Field	Meaning
`required_level` / `required_kyc_level`	Minimum level to receive a card of this product (`basic` / `1`, `verified` / `2`, `full` / `3`)
`max_card_per_user_kyc_level_1`	Maximum number of active cards for a level 1 customer
`max_card_per_user_kyc_level_2`	Maximum number of active cards for a level 2 or level 3 customer. `0` means unlimited
`spend_limit_monthly_kyc_level_1`	Monthly spending limit for a level 1 customer
`spend_limit_monthly_kyc_level_2`	Monthly spending limit for a level 2 or level 3 customer

For cards, level 3 has the same limits as level 2. Creating a card is refused when the customer is below the product’s required level, or when they already hold the maximum number of cards allowed at their level.

Example

{
  "name": "404-BIN",
  "required_level": "basic",
  "required_kyc_level": 1,
  "limits": {
    "spend_limit_monthly_kyc_level_1": 5000,
    "spend_limit_monthly_kyc_level_2": 1000000,
    "max_card_per_user_kyc_level_1": 5,
    "max_card_per_user_kyc_level_2": 0,
    "unlimited_cards": true
  }
}

With this product, a level 1 customer can hold up to 5 cards and spend up to 5,000 USD per month. Once at level 2, the customer can hold an unlimited number of cards and spend up to 1,000,000 USD per month. The values above are an example: always read the limits on the product itself.

Minimum level by product

Product	Minimum KYC level	Why
Gift Cards (low amounts)	Level 1 (`basic`)	Low risk
Virtual Cards	Depends on the product	See `required_level` / `required_kyc_level` on each card product
Physical Cards	Level 2 (`verified`)	KYC required
Crypto Wallets	Level 2 (`verified`)	KYC required by regulation
Virtual Bank Accounts	Level 3 (`full`)	KYC + POA required for banking

Level and status are two different things

The KYC level says how well a customer is known. The status says whether the customer can be used at all:

`status`	Meaning
`active`	The customer can be used
`suspended`	Suspended by you. You can reactivate the customer yourself
`restricted`	Restricted by KemyCard, with a `restriction_reason`. See KYC flow
`closed`	Closed. This cannot be undone

A customer must be active to receive a card, whatever their level.

Getting Started

Integration Guides

The three levels

Moving up

Moving down

What each level allows

Cards

Example

Minimum level by product

Level and status are two different things

​The three levels

​Moving up

​Moving down

​What each level allows

​Cards

​Example

​Minimum level by product

​Level and status are two different things

The three levels

Moving up

Moving down

What each level allows

Cards

Example

Minimum level by product

Level and status are two different things