Verifying a certificate

Every certificate Underground Aquarium issues is recorded in the public Certificate Registry. Anyone can check one for free, with no account needed: memberships, breeder certificates, courses and professional certifications.

How do I check whether a certificate is real?

1. Go to the Certificate Registry. There's also a Verify a certificate link in the site footer.
2. Type the code printed along the bottom of the certificate under REGISTRY NO. It looks like UA-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX.
3. Click Verify.

Or scan the QR code in the bottom right corner of the certificate (marked SCAN TO VERIFY) to land straight on its record. When you scan, check that the web address is undergroundaquarium.com.

What does a certificate code look like?

Codes look like UA-B7K2-M9QX-T4P8:

• UA: the registry. Every code starts this way.
• The first letter after UA-: the program (see below).
• The next ten characters: a random serial, around a quadrillion possibilities, so codes can't be guessed.
• The last character: a check character worked out from the rest. A mistyped or swapped character gets caught instantly.

Older Society codes that start with UAS- (like UAS-XXXX-XXXX) are still honored.

What does the first letter of a certificate code mean?

• M: Membership in the Underground Aquarium Society.
• B: Breeder Award Program.
• C: Courses, for completing an Underground Aquarium course.
• P: Professional Certification, for aquarium store staff and professionals.
• A: Honors & Achievements, for special recognition, milestones and honors.

Do I need to type the dashes or capital letters?

No. The box formats the code as you type: it adds the dashes, switches to capitals and drops anything that isn't a letter or number. Codes never use the letters I, L, O or U, so nothing on paper can be misread. If you type an O, it's read as a zero, and I or L are read as a one.

What do the hints under the verify box mean?

As you type, a hint appears under the box:

• "Printed at the top right and bottom of every certificate." (before you type)
• "Well-formed [program] code. Look it up." The code checks out; click Verify.
• "An early Society code. These are still honoured." An older UAS- code.
• "One character doesn't match. Check each one against the certificate." The check character doesn't add up.
• "That isn't an Underground Aquarium code." It can't be one of our codes.
• "[number] more characters to go." The code is incomplete.

Verify only looks a code up once it's complete and well-formed.

What does "Authentic certificate" mean?

The code is in the registry and the certificate is valid: "Issued by Underground Aquarium and in force today." The record shows:

• Awarded to: the recipient's name.
• Award: for example "Membership, Underground Aquarium Society," "Certified [species] Breeder" or "Completed the course: [name]."
• Program: the program letter and name.
• Date of issue.
• Member No. (like UAS-0042), when there is one.
• Points at issue, for breeder certificates.
• Signed by: Christopher M. Lewis, Founder & Judge.
• Status: Valid.

It also shows when it was checked. The record is the authority, not the paper: if the name or award on the paper doesn't match the record, the paper has been altered.

What does "No longer valid" mean?

The certificate was issued, then revoked, and the page shows the revocation date: "It should not be relied on." The status reads Revoked and the date.

What does "That code has a typo" mean?

The code isn't one we could have issued, because its check character doesn't add up. That almost always means one character was mistyped. Compare it against the certificate and try again; the box is right there on the page with your code filled in.

What does "Not in the registry" mean?

The code is well-formed, but no certificate carries it. If you copied it correctly, it was not issued by Underground Aquarium. If you think that's wrong, email support@undergroundaquarium.com with a photo of the certificate.

What does "That isn't a certificate code" mean?

What you entered can't be an Underground Aquarium code at all. Codes look like UA-B7K2-M9QX-T4P8 and are printed along the bottom of every certificate.

What does "The registry didn't answer" mean?

The lookup failed on our end, not because of the certificate. Try again in a minute.

I entered an old code and it shows a different one. Why?

Some early certificates were renumbered. If you enter a certificate's original code, the record says: "You entered this certificate's original code. It's been renumbered in the registry as [new code]. Both refer to the same certificate."

How do I share proof of a certificate with someone?

On the certificate's record page, click Copy link to this record (it changes to "Link copied"). Send that link to whoever asked. To check another code, click Verify another certificate.

I'm hiring. How do I check someone's certification?

Ask the person for their certificate code and enter it at the Certificate Registry. It's free, public and instant, and it shows only what's printed on the certificate, nothing more about the person. Questions go to support@undergroundaquarium.com.

Does a lapsed membership affect verification?

No. Certificate records stay verifiable even if the holder's Society dues have lapsed. Only a revoked certificate shows as No longer valid.

What should a genuine certificate have on it?

• A registry number along the bottom that resolves here, to the same name and the same award.
• A QR code in the bottom right that opens the certificate's own record on undergroundaquarium.com.
• The founder's signature: Christopher M. Lewis, Founder & Judge, dated the day it was issued.
• The Society seal, centered beneath the award.

If a code doesn't appear in the registry, or the name doesn't match, it wasn't issued by us.

Common problems

The Verify button doesn't do anything. The code isn't complete or doesn't pass the check yet. Read the hint under the box and fix the code.

It says there's a typo but I copied it exactly. Look closely at characters that are easy to confuse. Remember there's no I, L, O or U in codes (O is read as zero; I and L as one). A swapped pair of neighboring characters is also caught.

The QR code opens a site that isn't undergroundaquarium.com. Don't trust it. Type the code at the Certificate Registry yourself, and email support@undergroundaquarium.com.