L0 vs L1 biometric devices: what UIDAI's change means for CSC operators

The short version

UIDAI groups Aadhaar registered fingerprint devices by level. Scanners sold for years at the older L0 level are being replaced by L1 registered devices. In a letter dated 16 April 2025 to all requesting entities and Authentication Service Agencies, UIDAI wrote that the stipulated sunset date of L0 fingerprint registered devices is 30.06.2025 or Public Device Certificate validity, whichever is earlier, and asked them to complete the migration by then.

For a CSC operator, bank correspondent or AePS agent this means one practical thing: an L0 scanner is no longer the device to rely on for Aadhaar authentication, and reinstalling drivers will not change that.

What the letter says

The letter, from UIDAI's Authentication and Verification Division:

• allowed whitelisting of Precision Biometric's PB1000 (RDS version 1.2.3) and Access Computech's FM220UL1 (RDS version 1.3.2) with immediate effect;
• recorded that the RD service for Smart Chip's MSO 1300 E3 RD was upgraded from RDS version 1.1.1 to 1.1.3;
• listed the seven fingerprint L1 models allowed for whitelisting till that date;
• asked all requesting entities to make sure the RD service of existing L1 devices is upgraded to the latest RDS version;
• restated the L0 sunset date and asked everyone to take precautions so services are not interrupted.

The seven L1 models named in the letter

• Mantra Softech (India): MFS110 — RDS 1.3.0
• Mantra Softech (India): MARC11 — RDS 1.2.0
• Smart Chip: MSO 1300 E3 RD — RDS 1.1.3
• Linkwell Telesystems: V400 — RDS 1.1.3
• Access Computech: AST300 — RDS 1.3.2
• Access Computech: FM220UL1 — RDS 1.3.2
• Precision Biometric India: PB1000 — RDS 1.2.3

These are the versions the letter gave in April 2025. Download pages today may show different version numbers, so always take the current RD service from the maker's own site. UIDAI also publishes a list of L1 registered devices (linked in the sources below) — check it before you buy a scanner.

Is my device L0 or L1?

Read the model on the label under the scanner:

• Mantra MFS110 is L1; the MFS100 is L0. Mantra's download portal no longer lists an RD service for the MFS100.
• Morpho MSO 1300 E3 RD L1 is L1; the plain MSO 1300 E3 is L0.
• Startek FM220U L1 is L1; the plain FM220U is L0.
• The SecuGen Hamster Pro 20 is not on UIDAI's L1 list, so the L0 sunset applies to it.

If the label is worn or unclear, contact the maker with the device's serial number.

What CSC operators should do now

1. Check every scanner at your centre against the list above, including spares kept in a drawer.
2. Replace L0 devices with an L1 model. Access Computech, the maker of Startek scanners, offers an L0-to-L1 validity transfer on acpl.in.net — read its terms before buying a new device.
3. Update the RD service on L1 devices to the latest version from the maker's site, as UIDAI asked.
4. Keep the RD subscription active. Mantra includes a one-year RD service subscription with the MFS110 and charges for renewal. Morpho devices can be de-whitelisted when the subscription is not renewed. Startek renewals are sold on acpl.in.net.
5. Use official sources only. UIDAI's list names specific device models. Software from unofficial sources cannot turn an L0 model into a listed L1 model — anyone selling "L0 to L1 conversion software" is not selling a real fix, and such files can carry malware.

Where to download L1 RD services

• Mantra MFS110: mantratec.com/Download/User (registration with mobile OTP required) — our listing
• Morpho MSO 1300 E3 RD L1: rdserviceonline.com, run by Smart Chip Pvt. Ltd. — our listing
• Startek FM220U L1: acpl.in.net/RdServiceNew.html — our listing

If your L1 device shows "RD Service not ready", follow our step-by-step fix guide. For other device and driver downloads, see the India Hub.