What a check shows
A check shows what’s printed on the document itself:
- What the document is, and the office that issued it
- Who holds it, by the name they go by in the city
- Whether it’s in force today
- When it was issued, when it expires, and when it was last revised
It never shows the holder’s real name, Citizen ID, or address, or the details of their application. Each result shows the date and time it was checked, so a screenshot shows when it was true.
What each result means
A check gives one of five results:
- Valid: the document is genuine and in force.
- Expired: the document is genuine, but its term has ended. The holder can apply to renew it.
- Suspended: the document is genuine, but it isn’t in force until the issuing office lifts the suspension.
- Revoked: the issuing office has cancelled the document. It’s no longer in force.
- Not found: no document has that number. Compare it with the document, or ask the holder for the number.
Where to find the number
The number is at the top right of every document, and again at its foot. It starts with the form the holder applied on, for example NP-DOCI-1 for an explosives license.
Official documents
Every document the city writes carries the city seal, the date it was first drafted, and the date it was last revised.1
A license or permit is signed by the official who issued it, over the name of their office.
If a document doesn’t match its check, or a check isn’t what you expected, contact the office that issued it.