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24 October 2026 · Updated at 07:47 GMT FR EN ES Member area Log in
Certification

Verification

Check the authenticity of a digital certificate free of charge and without an account: number, QR code, file or token.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 3 min read

Verify before buying, before lending, before believing

Document Box (Ryōshibako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum (lid) (late 1800s-early 1900s)
Document Box (Ryōshibako) with Chrysanthemum and Plum (lid) (late 1800s-early 1900s)

Any OIMAP digital certificate can be checked free of charge, without an account, in a few seconds. The verification answers two questions: does the document exist in the Registry, and is it intact?

Four methods are offered: the number, the QR code, the file and the token. They lead to the same result and can be combined.

Verification concerns the digital certificate. For a paper certificate, use the Verify a certificate page.

  • Number
  • QR code
  • File
  • Token

Verification in figures

€0cost of verification
4methods of checking
< 5 sfor a result
24/7availability

Verify in four steps

  1. Choose the method

    OIMAP number, QR code, file or token identifier.

  2. Enter or scan

    Enter the number, scan the code or upload the file.

  3. Read the result

    The page shows the status of the certificate and the date of issue.

  4. Check the work

    Compare the information displayed with the work or the documents received.

The four methods

Choosing your method
MethodWhat you needIdeal for
By numberOIMAP-YYYY-NNNNNN-N numberQuick check at a counter
By QR codeA phone equipped with a readerCheck on the paper certificate
By fileThe digital certificate fileCheck the integrity of a document received
By tokenThe identifier of the backed tokenCheck a transfer
Arion on a Sea Horse and Bacchante on a Panther (pair), William Adolphe Bouguereau (1855)
Arion on a Sea Horse and Bacchante on a Panther (pair), William Adolphe Bouguereau (1855)
An Indigo Factory, Allahabad, Louis-Théophile Marie Rousselet (1865–68, published 1869–70)
An Indigo Factory, Allahabad, Louis-Théophile Marie Rousselet (1865–68, published 1869–70)
TLV Mirror with Multiple Nipples (9–23 CE)
TLV Mirror with Multiple Nipples (9–23 CE)

Read the result

Five possible results
ResultMeaningWhat to do
Authentic and intactThe document exists and has not been alteredNone
Document alteredThe fingerprint does not matchDo not rely on the document; report it
UnknownNo record foundCheck your entry again; contact OIMAP
SuspendedAn alert or appeal is under wayWait for the decision before any transaction
RevokedThe certificate has been cancelledDo not accept the document

If in doubt

Public or professional verification

Teapot with Landscape and Imperial Poem, Chen Hanwen (1762–95)

Public verification

Without an account
  • Existence of the document
  • Integrity
  • Date of issue

Sufficient for the general public.

Mirror with Concentric Circles, an Immortal, and Auspicious Animals (25–100 CE)

Professional verification

With a verified account
  • File details (with consent)
  • History of transfers
  • Associated BIOP alerts

Reserved for professionals.

Verification methods used in 2024

QR code52%
Number31%
File12%
Token5%

Source: statistics of the verification service.

Development of the service

  1. Opening

    Verification by number.

  2. QR code

    Direct scan of the paper certificate.

  3. File and token

    Verification of integrity and of transfer.

Peregrine Falcons (Duck Hawks), John James Audubon (c. 1827)
Peregrine Falcons (Duck Hawks), John James Audubon (c. 1827)
Jar with Design in Underglaze Iron (1800s–1900s)
Jar with Design in Underglaze Iron (1800s–1900s)
Fish or Seal Club (X’ús’) (late 1800s–early 1900s)
Fish or Seal Club (X’ús’) (late 1800s–early 1900s)

Good verification practices

A reflex to acquire

Mirror with Concentric Circles, an Immortal, and Auspicious Animals (100 BCE–100 CE)
« Relying on a certificate without verifying it is buying a piece of paper, not a guarantee. »
Certification Department, OIMAP

Vocabulary of verification

Intact
Whose fingerprint matches the one recorded in the Registry.
Suspended
Put on hold by an alert or an appeal.
Revoked
Cancelled by decision of OIMAP.
QR code
Two-dimensional barcode readable by a phone.

Frequently asked questions

Is verification really free?

Yes, for everyone and without an account.

Are my searches recorded?

Consultations are logged anonymously, for statistical and security purposes.

Can I verify a work without a certificate?

Yes, by its OIMAP number, if it is registered.

What should I do about a proven forgery?

Use the Report a forgery page.

Contacts

Small Mosque in the Kaiserbagh, Felice A. Beato (1858)
Small Mosque in the Kaiserbagh, Felice A. Beato (1858)
Certification DepartmentParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 00 00certification@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Verify now

Medal: In Commemoration of the Fiftieth Anniversary - The Warner and Swasey Company, Victor D. Brenner (1930)

Enter an OIMAP number from the Registry home page.

Verify a certificate
Image credits (16)
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