How to check a seller's credentials

Why seller verification matters

In countries like Australia and the UK, buying from an unverified seller carries more risk — you have less certainty about who you're dealing with. Buying from verified sellers reduces that risk, supports responsible breeding, and is part of buying responsibly within the hobby.

The Verified Breeder badge

The quickest check is the Herpify Verified Breeder badge. This badge means the seller has passed an automated government ID check powered by Stripe — confirming they are a real, verified person in their stated country. In some regions, verified breeders also optionally provide their keeper licence number as an additional trust signal. While this doesn't replace your own due diligence, it's the strongest trust signal available on the platform.

Asking the seller directly

For any purchase in a jurisdiction that requires a licence, ask the seller for their licence number. A seller with a valid licence will provide this readily. In Australia, you can reference the licence in your message thread: "Can you confirm your NSW wildlife keeper licence number so I have it for my records?" A seller who refuses or is evasive about this is a red flag.

Verifying Australian licences

Most Australian state wildlife authorities do not have a public database you can query directly. However, you can ask the seller to share a photo of their licence (with sensitive personal details redacted if preferred) and check that the licence: is issued by the correct authority for their state, has not expired, covers the species in question (licences are often species-specific by category), and matches the name and location they've given you.

Verifying UK licences

In the UK, Animal Activity Licences (AAL) issued by local councils are not publicly searchable nationally. Ask the seller for their licence number and issuing council. You can then call or email the council's licensing department to confirm the licence is valid. This takes five minutes and is worth doing for significant purchases.

Red flags around licencing claims

Be cautious if a seller:

• Claims to have a licence but won't provide the licence number when asked politely
• Provides a licence number that doesn't match the format for their state or country
• Says their licence is "being renewed" or "in the post"
• Is selling a species that requires a higher licence category than they claim to hold
• Gets defensive or hostile when asked about their licence