Guides for workers

Right to Work share code: how to get and share it with an employer

If an employer has asked for your Right to Work share code, here is how to create one at GOV.UK, what to give the employer, and how to keep the details organised for the next role.

What is a Right to Work share code?

Starting a new job usually means the same requests again: proof of your right to work, your licence details, your DBS certificate. The Right to Work part is a legal requirement on the employer. Before employment begins, the employer must carry out a Right to Work check, and if you prove your right to work online, they do it through the official GOV.UK service using a share code that you create.

A Right to Work share code is a short code from GOV.UK that lets an employer view your right to work information through the official employer service. You create the code and choose who to give it to; the employer completes the check at GOV.UK. iam-vetted sits in the middle: a place to keep the reference details you share with employers, such as your Right to Work share code, DVLA details and DBS certificate number, organised in one worker profile.

Who needs one

Share codes are for people who prove their right to work online. That mainly means non-British and non-Irish citizens with a digital immigration status, for example EU Settlement Scheme settled or pre-settled status, visa holders, and people with an eVisa through a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account. British and Irish passport holders generally do not need a share code.

One thing to watch: a right to work share code is different from a right to rent share code, which is for landlords. They are not interchangeable. For a job, you need a right to work code, created through the prove your right to work service.

How to get your share code at GOV.UK

Share codes are created on the official GOV.UK service, free of charge. iam-vetted is not the Home Office and does not issue share codes; the code always comes from GOV.UK.

Go to the GOV.UK service, Prove your right to work to an employer.
Follow the steps shown by the service to confirm who you are.
Choose to prove your right to work, and GOV.UK creates your share code.
Make a note of the code and the expiry date GOV.UK shows you.

What the employer needs from you

Give your employer two things: your share code and your date of birth. The employer needs both to view your right to work information through the official GOV.UK employer service.

How long the code lasts

The code is time-limited. GOV.UK shows you the expiry date when you create the code, and it commonly lasts around 90 days; always go by the date GOV.UK shows you. If the code expires before the employer has used it, you create a new one at GOV.UK, free of charge.

What employers must do

The Right to Work check is the employer’s legal responsibility, carried out before employment begins. The employer completes it through the official GOV.UK employer service using your share code and date of birth. A screenshot or an email on its own is not a substitute for the employer’s own check at GOV.UK.

How iam-vetted helps

Employers tend to ask for the same references every time. With a free iam-vetted worker profile, you keep your Right to Work, DVLA and DBS reference details organised in one place, ready to share with the next employer.

Create your free profile

Driving for work? See our guide on how to share your DVLA check code. New to iam-vetted? Start with the for workers page or the short explainer at iam-vetted.com/start.

iam-vetted does not verify Right to Work status

iam-vetted is not part of the Right to Work check and is not connected to the Home Office service. We do not verify, validate, or assess immigration status, and we do not store it. Your worker profile holds the reference details you choose to submit, such as your share code and its dates, so you can share them with employers. The Right to Work check itself always happens between the employer and GOV.UK.

Frequently asked questions

Who needs a Right to Work share code?

Share codes are for people who prove their right to work online, mainly non-British and non-Irish citizens with a digital immigration status, such as EU Settlement Scheme settled or pre-settled status, a visa, or an eVisa through a UKVI account. British and Irish passport holders generally do not need one.

How long does a Right to Work share code last?

The code is time-limited. GOV.UK shows you the expiry date when you create the code, and it commonly lasts around 90 days. Always go by the date GOV.UK shows you. If the code expires before an employer uses it, you create a new one at GOV.UK free of charge.

Is a right to work share code the same as a right to rent share code?

No. A right to work share code is for employers, and a right to rent share code is for landlords. They are not interchangeable. For a job, create your code through the GOV.UK service called Prove your right to work to an employer.

Do I have to pay for a share code?

No. Creating a Right to Work share code at GOV.UK is free. Creating a worker profile on iam-vetted is free as well.

Does iam-vetted verify my Right to Work status?

No. iam-vetted does not verify, validate, or assess immigration status, and does not store it. You keep your Right to Work share code details organised in your worker profile, and the employer carries out the Right to Work check itself at GOV.UK.

Keep your reference details ready

Create a free worker profile and keep your Right to Work, DVLA and DBS reference details organised in one place to share with employers.

Create your free profile