How verification works
A level means the same thing every time it appears.
Every verification runs the same four stages against a published job role. Here is the whole thing, including what it costs, what happens if you don't reach the level, and what an employer can see.
The four levels
Egg, Larva, Caterpillar, Butterfly. A level says how strongly a skill has been proven. It belongs to the record, not to the person — a person is not called an L1 or an L2.
L0 · Egg
Not verified
L0 means no verification activity yet. It is a starting state, and it is not a result.
No action needed yet
Free
L1 · Larva
Verified Knowledge
A self-directed quiz of applied questions. It shows you recognise the problem and can choose a sensible action.
A self-directed quiz you take yourself
Free
L2 · Caterpillar
Verified Work
Past client work submitted as artefacts, or a proven test completed on the spot. Either route, one level.
Past client work, or a proven test on the spot
1 credit
L3 · Butterfly
Expert-Adjudicated
An expert panel adjudicates an eligible L2 record. Uncommon by design, and priced accordingly.
An expert panel, booked with you
2 credits
Four stages, one published job role, every time
Stage 1
Scenario
Real work from the role. No multiple choice. You submit what you'd actually produce.
Stage 2
Mark scheme
Scored against the level descriptors in the published model: the same descriptors you can read before you start.
Stage 3
Verifier review
A practitioner at or above the level reviews the mark and writes the reasoning. About 2 working days.
Stage 4
Level issued
The level, the date, the model version and the verifier's reasoning land in your Passport. Records run for 2 years, then are re-verified.
If you don't reach the level
You are issued the level you did reach, including L1 Larva. No result is recorded as a failure, because a lower level is still a true statement about skill. You get the verifier's reasoning and the specific descriptors you missed, so the next attempt is aimed. You can re-sit after 60 days, at the same price; the free L1 quiz can be retaken any time. Only your highest level shows.
What an employer can see
The skill, the level, the date, and the model version: when you share it. Whether the level is current or lapsed. Not your submission, your score, or the verifier's notes. Not a skill you chose not to release, and not a list of what you have not verified.
The questions people actually ask
Is this a certificate?
No. A certificate says you attended. A level says what you could do on the day, against a stated standard.
Who writes the job roles?
Practitioners and employers hiring for the role, reviewed on a published cadence. See the methodology.
Why does my coverage say 0%?
Because no skill is verified yet. It is a starting point, not a deficit, and one verification moves it.
Can my employer make me sit one?
They can invite you and pay for it. You can decline, and declining is not shared.