Regula Hits NIST Test: The Only Vendor Recognized Among Top Performers in All Critical Age Estimation Scenarios

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the first time, Regula, a global developer of identity verification (IDV) solutions and forensic devices, has taken part in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) evaluation for age estimation. This debut could hardly be stronger: Regula achieved the best result in the test, outperforming other vendors. Crucially, Regula’s technology demonstrated consistent accuracy across a wide range of demographics, making it the most universal solution on the market.

In addition, Regula ranked among the top three in two of the most critical age assurance scenarios: Challenge 25 and Child Online Safety (ages 13–16).

NIST is a globally respected authority in technology testing and standardization. Its Face Analysis Technology Evaluation (FATE) Age Estimation and Verification benchmark is an open, ongoing program that evaluates how software algorithms estimate age from facial photos. This capability is increasingly important nowadays, as regulators worldwide require reliable age checks to protect minors, enforce access restrictions, and confirm an individual’s age in the absence of official documents.

In this evaluation, NIST confirmed that Regula’s technology estimates age with exceptional accuracy across demographies, consistently outperforming other tested solutions. It came closer to the true age than any other solution tested so far. Regula’s algorithm delivered top results worldwide, with consistent leading accuracy across Europe, East Africa, and East and South Asia.

Beyond overall precision, Regula also excelled in age-restricted scenarios that are directly relevant to regulators and businesses. The Challenge 25 benchmark measures whether individuals who are close to 17 are reliably flagged for additional checks to prevent underage sales. The Child Online Safety benchmark focuses on accurately detecting users aged 13–16 in online environments, while minimizing misclassifications of younger children or adults. Achieving a top-three rank in both scenarios demonstrates that Regula’s technology not only excels in estimating real age but also in protecting minors and helping organizations comply with some of the toughest age-assurance requirements.

The age assurance enhancement will be included in the upcoming Regula Face SDK update. Designed for robust biometric verification, this solution enables thorough facial recognition and comparison, liveness detection, and age verification—an indispensable set of checks to prove that an individual is legitimate and real.

“Reaching the highest accuracy in the NIST evaluation proves the strength of our forensic-driven approach and biometric verification expertise. Just as important, the results confirm that Regula performs consistently across a wide range of real-world conditions, making our solution the most universal on the market. And we’re not stopping here: we are already working to make the technology even more precise and inclusive. Incorporating it into Regula Face SDK will equip our customers with a powerful, reliable way to estimate age in the most challenging environments," says Ihar Kliashchou, Chief Technology Officer at Regula.

Earlier this year, Regula was also recognized as a pioneer in online biometric age assurance for its comprehensive approach that combines advanced document verification with biometric authentication.

For more details on the NIST evaluation of age estimation technologies, see the official report. To learn what challenges and capabilities form today’s age verification solutions, please visit Regula’s website.

About Regula

Regula is a global developer of forensic devices and identity verification solutions. With our 30+ years of experience in forensic research and the most comprehensive library of document templates in the world, we create breakthrough technologies for document and biometric verification. Our hardware and software solutions allow over 1,000 organizations and 80 border control authorities globally to provide top-notch client service without compromising safety, security, or speed. Regula has been repeatedly named a Representative Vendor in the Gartner® Market Guide for Identity Verification.

Learn more at www.regulaforensics.com.