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Verify by QR code

Scan the QR code of an OIMAP document to get an immediate answer on its authenticity.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 4 min read

Scan, read, decide

Towel End (c 1700s- 1800s)
Towel End (c 1700s- 1800s)

Documents issued since 2021 carry a QR code. A simple scan with a phone opens the corresponding verification page and immediately displays the result, with no typing. The module on this page also offers reading of a code image.

If there is no legible code, use verification by number.

  • QR code
  • Check
  • Mobile

QR code verification at a glance

2021Introduction of the QR code
< 5 sIndicative response time
3Display languages
1Document per code

Source: OIMAP General Secretariat.

Breakdown

TelephoneDirect reading (indicative)
Dedicated readerCustoms, galleries
Imported imagePDF file or photo

Indicative breakdown of reading modes.

How the code works

The QR code encodes a unique address, which contains the OIMAP number and a cryptographic fingerprint of the document. When scanned, the phone opens the Organization's official site and queries the registry.

The response does not depend on the paper: a code copied onto a fake document would point to the authentic certificate, whose description would not match the work presented.

Lampas with foliate medallions in ogival lattice (1400s)
Lampas with foliate medallions in ogival lattice (1400s)
Marie-Yolande de Fitz-James, Henri Fantin-Latour (1867)
Marie-Yolande de Fitz-James, Henri Fantin-Latour (1867)
Courtyard, Alhambra, Charles Clifford (1857–58)
Courtyard, Alhambra, Charles Clifford (1857–58)

Scanning with a phone

Most phones read QR codes from the camera app. Frame the code, wait for the link to appear, then open it. Check that the address displayed is that of the official OIMAP site before continuing.

If reading fails, clean the lens, avoid reflections and increase the brightness. A crumpled or damaged code can be replaced on request from the Desk.

Protecting against fake codes

A fraudster can stick another QR code onto a document. Two habits limit this risk: checking the address of the site that opens and comparing the result with the content of the document, in particular the number and the description of the work.

The official site never displays a payment request or a password prompt during a verification. Any such request signals a phishing attempt.

Professional uses

At customs, the QR code speeds up the checking of import-export licences. In a gallery, it reassures the buyer at the time of sale. In an auction house, it feeds the lot record with dated proof of verification.

Professionals can embed the verification link in their catalogues and inventory records, which makes checking easier for their clients.

Reading the result

Scan results
ResultMeaningRecommended response
ValidAuthentic and current documentCompare with the work
ExpiredValidity date passedRequest an up-to-date document
RevokedCancelled by the OrganizationSuspend the transaction
UnknownNo matching documentRecheck, then report

Milestones

  1. Launch

    First certificates with QR code.

  2. Rollout

    All new documents carry one.

  3. Customs checks

    Use by partner services (indicative).

  4. Signature

    Cryptographic fingerprint included.

Check the address displayed

Jonah Under the Gourd Vine (280–90 CE)
Jonah Under the Gourd Vine (280–90 CE)
Water Transport Jar (1900s)
Water Transport Jar (1900s)
Egypt and Nubia, Volume I: The Great Sphinx, Pyramids of Gezeeh, Louis Haghe (1846)
Egypt and Nubia, Volume I: The Great Sphinx, Pyramids of Gezeeh, Louis Haghe (1846)

Dedicated reader or phone

Vessel with Abstract Heads (100 BCE–700 CE)

Telephone

Everyday use
  • Camera app sufficient
  • Result on screen
  • Printing possible

Simple.

The birth of Rama and his brothers, from Chapter 17 of the Bala Kanda (Book of Childhood) of the Adhyatma Ramayana (Rama's Journey of the Su (c. 1820–30)

Dedicated reader

Professional use
  • Batch reading
  • Integration with tools
  • Useful at customs

Volume.

Scan a document

  1. Frame the code

    In good lighting conditions.

  2. Open the link

    After checking the address.

  3. Reading the result

    Valid, expired, revoked, unknown.

  4. Compare

    With the information on the document.

Good practices

An auctioneer (example)

Silk fragment with scrolling vines, grape leaves, grapes, and birds (1325–50)
« Scanning the code is now on our lot reception checklist. Thirty seconds, and we are sure of what we announce. »
Étienne Garnier, auctioneer (example)

Glossary

QR code
Two-dimensional barcode readable by phone.
Cryptographic fingerprint
Unique digital summary of a document.
Phishing
Imitation of a site to obtain data.
Reader
Device specialized in reading codes.

Keep the proof

The displayed result can be printed or saved as a PDF, with the date and time of the check. This record is useful for insurance and for any dispute.

A check carried out too long before the sale may be out of date: a document can be revoked in the meantime. Repeat the verification on the day of the transaction.

Frequently asked questions

Which device should I use?

A recent phone is enough.

The code is damaged, what should I do?

Use the number, then request a duplicate from the Desk.

Can the scan be forged?

The code can be copied, hence the importance of comparing the result with the document.

Where do I report a suspicious code?

Useful documents

Contacts

The Grotto of Posillipo, Hubert Robert (c. 1769)
The Grotto of Posillipo, Hubert Robert (c. 1769)
General SecretariatParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 00 00secretariat@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm

Report a fake

Nymphs and a Satyr (Amor Vincit Omnia), Nicolas Poussin (c. 1625–27)

Alert the Organization.

Report a fake
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