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Getting Started

Launch PrivateAV biometric age verification on your site in minutes. This quick start focuses on the JavaScript SDK so you can ship without standing up server infrastructure.

:::tip Need Server-Side Control? This guide covers the JavaScript SDK. For API-based integration with server-side session creation and validation, see the Server Integration Guide. :::

:::info Using PHP or WordPress? If your backend is PHP (including WordPress), start with the Server Integration Guide and follow the WordPress Integration Guide for WordPress-specific patterns. :::

Prerequisites​

  • PrivateAV account (sign up)
  • Access to the PrivateAV Dashboard to copy keys
  • A web page where you will launch verification (camera access required)

Frontend Quick Start (SDK)​

Step 1 — Copy your publishable key​

  1. Log in to the PrivateAV Dashboard
  2. Click API Keys in the sidebar
  3. Copy your publishable key (pk_…)

Step 2 — Install the SDK​

Option A: CDN

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@privateav/sdk@3.5.3/sdk.min.js"></script>

Option B: npm

npm install @privateav/sdk

Step 3 — Launch verification​

:::warning Local Server Required You must serve this page from a web server (http://localhost:...). Opening the HTML file directly (file://) won't work because the verification redirect cannot return to local files. Use any of these:

  • npx serve .
  • python3 -m http.server 8000
  • Your framework's dev server (npm run dev) :::
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Age Verification</title>
    <script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@privateav/sdk@3.5.3/sdk.min.js"></script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Age Restricted Content</h1>
    <button id="verify-btn">Verify Your Age</button>

    <script>
      // Check if running from a local file (won't work - need a server)
      if (window.location.protocol === 'file:') {
        document.getElementById('verify-btn').disabled = true;
        document.getElementById('verify-btn').textContent = 'Requires local server';
        document.body.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend',
          '<p style="color: red;">This page must be served from http://localhost. ' +
          'Run: npx serve . or python3 -m http.server 8000</p>');
      } else {
        // Initialize with your publishable key (pk_...)
        const sdk = new PrivateAV({
          apiKey: 'pk_your_key_here',
          returnUrl: window.location.origin + window.location.pathname
        });

        document.getElementById('verify-btn').onclick = () => {
          // Creates the verification session and opens the PrivateAV flow
          sdk.verify();

          // Optional: tie the session to your own user ID
          // sdk.verify({ externalUserId: currentUserId });
        };
      }

      // Check the status parameter that PrivateAV adds on redirect
      const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
      const status = params.get('status');
      const sessionId = params.get('sessionId');

      if (status === 'verified') {
        // User passed verification - show success UI
        document.body.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', '<p>Age verified!</p>');

        // IMPORTANT: For production, validate sessionId server-side
        // Client-side status can be forged. See Server Integration Guide.
        console.log('Session ID for server validation:', sessionId);
      } else if (status === 'failed') {
        document.body.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend', '<p>Verification failed.</p>');
      }
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

Step 4 — Understand the user flow​

  1. The SDK creates a session with your publishable key
  2. The user grants camera access and captures a selfie
  3. Depending on your verification mode, an ID scan may be requested
  4. PrivateAV redirects back to your returnUrl with status, and sessionId

What's Next?​

ResourceDescription
JavaScript SDKFull SDK reference with all options
Server IntegrationAPI-based integration with validation
Sessions APIAPI endpoint reference
Verification ModesL1 vs L2 comparison
Code ExamplesAsk support for ready-to-run examples

Need Help?​

  • Email: support@privateav.com