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

Verify a certificate

Check the authenticity of an OIMAP certificate free of charge: by number, by QR code, or report a fake.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 3 min read

Pages in this section

Seal Color Box (1662–1722)By numberVerify a certificate by entering its OIMAP number: format, reading the result and error cases.› Arion on a Sea Horse and Bacchante on a Panther (pair), William Adolphe Bouguereau (1855)By QR codeScan the QR code of a certificate with a phone to check its authenticity in a few seconds.› Dr. James Stuart; Mary Campbell Stuart, Gilbert Stuart (c. 1815)Report a fakeWhat to do with a forged certificate or a doubtful work: the reflexes, the report form and the handling of alerts.›

A reflex before any transaction

Annunciation to the Shepherds: Leaf from a Book of Hours (1 of 6 Excised Leaves), Henri d'Orquevaulx (c. 1420–30)
Annunciation to the Shepherds: Leaf from a Book of Hours (1 of 6 Excised Leaves), Henri d'Orquevaulx (c. 1420–30)

An OIMAP certificate can be verified by anyone, free of charge, in a few seconds. The number or QR code printed on the document is all that is needed. The check queries the Registry and indicates whether the certificate exists, whether it is valid and whether an alert weighs on the work.

It is intended for buyers, insurers, carriers, customs officers, curators and journalists. It requires no account and reveals no personal data.

This section presents the two methods of checking and the procedure to follow if a document looks forged.

  • Free
  • Without an account
  • Number
  • QR code

Verification in figures

€0cost
2methods
< 5 sfor a result
100%of certificates searchable

Three pages for checking

Seal Color Box (1662–1722)Method 1By number

Enter the OIMAP number printed on the certificate.

›Courtyard, Alhambra, Charles Clifford (1857–58)Method 2By QR code

Scan the code with a phone.

›Carnet (1863–1865)AlertReport a fake

What to do with a doubtful or forged document.

›

What the check returns

Five possible results
ResultMeaningWhat to do
AuthenticThe certificate exists and is validNone
Work flaggedA BIOP alert is active on the workConclude no transaction, contact the Secretariat
SuspendedAn appeal or a check is under wayWait for the decision
RevokedThe certificate has been cancelledDo not accept it
UnknownNo registrationCheck the entry, then report
Jar with Stamped Decoration (1400s)
Jar with Stamped Decoration (1400s)
Mercury (Budha), from a Mandi Astrology Series, Sanju (c. 1810)
Mercury (Budha), from a Mandi Astrology Series, Sanju (c. 1810)
Water Transport Jar (1900s)
Water Transport Jar (1900s)

Checking in three steps

  1. Locate the number or the code

    At the top or bottom of the certificate.

  2. Start the check

    By entry or by scan.

  3. Compare

    The information displayed must match the work and the document.

Always compare

Public or professional verification

Chemin de fer de Toulouse à Bayonne. Pont de l'Aran (en trois arches de 17m d'ouverture chacune). Situation des travaux au 21 juillet 1861, Édouard Baldus (1861)

Public

Without an account
  • Existence and validity
  • BIOP alerts
  • Description of the work

Sufficient in most cases.

Turtleback Reading Lamp, Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company (c. 1895–1902)

Professional

With a verified account
  • Certificate history
  • Detailed alerts
  • Export for insurers and customs

Reserved for professionals.

Verification methods used in 2024

QR code56%
Number44%

Source: statistics of the verification service.

The verification service

  1. First online check

    Verification by number.

  2. QR code

    Direct scan of the certificate.

  3. BIOP alert

    Cross-referencing with flagged works.

  4. Mobile version

    Optimisation for phones.

Case study: a fake unmasked

A description that does not match

Situation

A buyer receives a certificate that proves authentic but describes a 40 × 50 cm painting.

Actions
  1. They scan the QR code.
  2. They compare it with the painting offered, which is 60 × 80 cm.
  3. They refuse the sale and report the document.
Outcome

An attempted fraud is avoided thanks to a thirty-second check.

Plaque (1500s–1600s)
Plaque (1500s–1600s)
Vessel with Abstract Heads (100 BCE–700 CE)
Vessel with Abstract Heads (100 BCE–700 CE)
Compass and Sun Dial (1700–1750)
Compass and Sun Dial (1700–1750)

Before a transaction

Privacy and security

The verification service reveals neither the owner's name, nor their address, nor the price of a transaction. It only confirms the existence and status of a certificate and the public description of the work.

Consultations are logged anonymously. They are used for statistics and for detecting abusive use, such as attempts to enumerate numbers.

A principle of transparency

Teapot with Landscape and Imperial Poem, Chen Hanwen (1762–95)
« A certificate that cannot be verified is not worth a certificate. »
Secretary-General's Office, OIMAP

Vocabulary of checking

OIMAP number
Identifier of the work in the Registry.
QR code
Two-dimensional barcode readable by a phone.
Suspended
Put on hold pending a decision.
Revoked
Cancelled by decision of OIMAP.

Frequently asked questions

Is the verification reliable?

It queries the official Registry directly, which is authoritative.

What if the site is unavailable?

Try again later; do not conclude a transaction without verification.

Can I verify an old certificate?

Yes, all certificates since 2007 are in the Registry.

What is a flagged work?

A work subject to an alert at the BIOP.

Useful documents

Contacts

The Grotto of Posillipo, Hubert Robert (c. 1769)
The Grotto of Posillipo, Hubert Robert (c. 1769)
Certification DepartmentParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 00 00certification@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Check now

Lampas with foliate medallions in ogival lattice (1400s)

Enter an OIMAP number to get an immediate result.

Verify by number
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