Configure Knowledge-Based Authentication (KBA) as a recipient identity-verification method on a DocuSign envelope
domain: developers.docusign.com · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
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Steps
In the recipient definition, set requireIdLookup to true on the Signer object, then reference a KBA-typed configuration — either idCheckConfigurationName for the legacy standalone ID Check/KBA workflow, or the recipient's identityVerification object referencing a KBA-typed Identity Verification workflowId — rather than the general photo-ID Verification or SMS OTP methods.
Ensure the target Identity Verification / ID Check workflow is actually configured for Knowledge-Based Authentication in account settings before referencing it from the API; the workflow must exist and be KBA-typed.
Send the envelope as usual; DocuSign, via its identity-verification vendor integration, presents the recipient with an out-of-wallet quiz (e.g., prior addresses, past loans) during the signing ceremony instead of, or in addition to, an access code.
Handle the authentication outcome in your workflow: recipients get a limited number of quiz attempts, and failure locks them out of that signing session — detect this via envelope/recipient status and Connect events.
Reserve KBA for U.S. signers with sufficient public-record history, and fall back to SMS/access-code/ID Verification for recipients outside that scope.
Known gotchas
KBA is available only for U.S. citizens/residents with enough public-record history to generate quiz questions — it cannot be used for most non-U.S. recipients, and DocuSign will not silently substitute another method if the recipient can't be matched.
KBA is a paid, metered feature (per-use identity-verification cost) separate from base eSignature sending — enabling it increases per-envelope cost.
KBA is a distinct configuration from both DocuSign ID Verification (photo-ID capture) and SMS/phone authentication — confusing idCheckConfigurationName / identityVerification workflow references between these methods is a common integration bug; verify the workflow's type in account settings, not just its name.
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