The OpenID Foundation (OIDF) has announced a major change to its certification process, allowing independent accredited laboratories around the world to administer its identity standards conformance tests starting in the second quarter of 2026. The move is designed to scale adoption of protocols like OpenID Connect and meet the growing demand from governments and regulated industries that require third-party assurance.
This new “conformance-as-a-service” model will supplement OIDF’s existing self-certification program, through which companies like Nomidio have certified their biometric authentication technology. While self-certification will continue, the option for third-party validation from an accredited lab provides a higher level of trust that many regulators and enterprise customers now prefer for mission-critical infrastructure.
The decision is a direct response to a global wave of digital identity initiatives. With dozens of countries developing national digital ID frameworks, the foundation is evolving its processes to support these large-scale deployments, which often require localized testing and formal certification. The shift is part of OIDF’s broader work with tech partners to demo the next generation of digital ID technology.
This move toward more rigorous, independent testing is happening as foundational government standards also mature. In the U.S., for example, the recent finalization of NIST’s updated Digital ID Guidelines has raised the bar for identity proofing and security. As these core frameworks evolve, the need for verifiable, third-party testing of the protocols that implement them, like OpenID Connect, becomes increasingly important.
The new certification model is also timely given the expansion of OIDF’s own standards portfolio. The foundation recently finalized its Shared Signals specifications for security, and the accredited lab program will help ensure consistent implementation of these new protocols. For instance, local labs in Europe could certify that forthcoming national digital wallet apps are compliant with OpenID standards, potentially accelerating the rollout of the EU’s digital identity framework.
Source: OpenID Foundation
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
