Verify Your Veteran-Owned Business in the UK
Earn the trusted British Veteran Owned hallmark. Join the national directory. Stand in front of consumers and procurement buyers who want to back veteran enterprise.
How verification works
A privacy-respecting, five-step process. Most applications are decided within 14 working days.
- 1
Create an account
Sign up in under a minute. We only ask for the details we need to verify your service and contact you about your application.
- 2
Submit your business
Tell us about your business — name, what you do, where you trade, and which service branch you served with.
- 3
Send evidence of service
We accept any one of: MOD 90 (Armed Forces ID card), discharge documentation, JPA service summary print, or a service-leaver letter. Your evidence is never published.
- 4
Reviewed by our team
A real person checks every application. We aim to decide within 14 working days. If we need anything else, we will email you.
- 5
Earn your hallmark
Once verified, your business appears in the national directory and you can download the British Veteran Owned hallmark to use across your own website, packaging and marketing.
Who can apply
- UK military veterans (any length of service) from the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force or Royal Marines
- Reservists who have served
- Spouses, civil partners and bereaved partners of serving personnel and veterans
- Businesses majority-owned by an eligible person
If you are unsure whether you are eligible, apply anyway — our team will be in touch.
What the hallmark means
The British Veteran Owned hallmark is a public signal — checked by our team — that a business is majority-owned by a UK veteran, reservist, or eligible family member.
Consumers and procurement buyers can use it to support veteran enterprise with confidence. Verified businesses can display it on their own site, packaging, and marketing. It is free, recognised nationally, and operated by a not-for-profit.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does verification cost?
- Nothing. Verification, directory listing and the hallmark are free for every veteran-owned business — forever. We are a not-for-profit social enterprise. Our running costs are covered by merchandise, donations and mission-aligned partner sponsorships, never by veterans.
- How long does verification take?
- We aim to make a decision within 14 working days of receiving your evidence. Most applications are decided faster. If we need anything additional we will email you directly.
- What evidence do I need to provide?
- Any one of: MOD 90 (Armed Forces ID card), official discharge documentation, a JPA service summary print, or a service-leaver letter. We do not publish your evidence and access is restricted to our verification team.
- My business is small — am I still eligible?
- Yes. Every veteran-owned business gets exactly the same hallmark, the same directory listing and the same level of support. We do not operate paid tiers, premium memberships or pay-to-rank features. A sole trader appears alongside a larger enterprise as equals.
- What does the hallmark actually mean?
- It is a public signal that a real person — checked by our team — has confirmed the business is majority-owned by a UK veteran, reservist, or eligible family member. Consumers and procurement buyers can trust the mark before they buy.
- Can I lose my verification?
- Verification is tied to ownership. If majority ownership changes such that the business is no longer veteran-owned, the listing is withdrawn. We will always contact you first.
Ready to be verified?
Service Before Self. Free, equal, trusted. Take ten minutes and join the directory.
Apply for verification