To book a shortlet on Cabans, you need an account and a way to pay online. You do not need to show ID to book.
Some hosts ask for a photo ID after the booking is confirmed: a passport, a driving licence or a national ID card. You upload it on your stay page, and only your host and the Cabans team can see it.
Below is everything you need to book, when an ID is asked for, which files work, who sees them, and how to share ID safely anywhere.
What you need to book
Here are the shortlet requirements on Cabans, in the order you meet them:
| You need | Why |
|---|---|
| Nothing, to look | You can see dates and prices without an account. |
| A Cabans account | You must be signed in to press “Reserve”. If you are not, the sign-in window opens and brings you back to the same home. |
| An email address you check | We email you at each step: when your dates are held, when you have paid and when the host accepts. |
| A way to pay online | You pay through Paystack when you book, by card or another way the Paystack window offers. Paystack’s processing fee is paid by you. You see it before you pay, and it is not refunded. |
| The right number of guests | Count everyone staying, children included. The host may set a limit, such as “Up to 4 guests”. |
| A photo ID, sometimes | Only if the home asks, and only after your booking is confirmed. |
Booking for work? A business profile can book too, and its stays live under that business. The full walk-through is in how booking a shortlet online works.
Each home also has its own rules, shown before you pay: a minimum stay, check-in and check-out times, any cleaning fee, a refundable caution deposit and the free-cancellation deadline. Read them all before you press “Reserve”.
When a host asks for ID
Hosts choose whether their home asks for ID. If it does, a card called “Your ID” appears on your stay page once the booking is confirmed.
It says: “This property asks guests for an ID. Only your host and our team can see it.”
You can upload it any time from confirmation until check-out. Earlier is better, so your host is not waiting at the gate. Here is how:
- Open your stay. Sign in, open My Stays and tap the stay.
- Find the “Your ID” card. It only appears if the host asks for ID, and only once your booking is confirmed.
- Press “Upload your ID”. Pick a clear photo or a PDF of your passport, driving licence or national ID card.
- Check it arrived. Your file shows on the card. Press “Send another” to add the back of a card or a second page.
The step-by-step help guide is how to send your ID when a host asks.
Why do hosts ask? They are handing the keys of a furnished home to someone they have not met. A quick ID check helps them know who is arriving, and some estates ask hosts to register visitors at the gate.
Which IDs and files work
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Documents | A passport, a driving licence or a national ID card |
| Photos | JPEG, PNG, WebP or HEIC (the format many iPhones use) |
| Documents as files | |
| Size | Up to 10 MB per file. Most phone photos are much smaller. |
Tips for a clear photo:
- Lay the ID flat on a plain, dark surface.
- Use daylight, and turn off the flash to avoid glare.
- Get all four corners in the picture, and check the text is sharp.
- For a card, send the front, then press “Send another” for the back.
Messages you may see, and what to do:
- “That kind of file cannot be sent. Choose a photo (JPEG, PNG, WebP or HEIC) or a PDF.” Take a normal photo with your camera, or save the document as a PDF.
- “That file is too large. Your ID can be up to 10 MB.” Take a new photo at a normal setting, or send a smaller PDF.
- “This stay does not ask for an ID.” Nothing to do: this home does not need one.
Who can see your ID
Only your host and the Cabans team. Your ID is never shown on the listing, to other guests or to anyone else in the estate. Your host opens it from their booking page through a link that stops working after a short time.
Guest ID documents are kept securely for up to 6 years after your stay, as data laws require, and then deleted. Your host can open your ID only until 30 days after check-out, and you can remove it yourself before check-out. Your card details are a separate matter: they go to Paystack, our payment provider, not to your host.
If you would rather not share ID
That is your choice, and you have options. Not every home asks for ID, and the rule is set per home, not for all of Cabans.
- Read the listing first. A host who asks for ID may say so in the description. If it is not clear, message the host before you book.
- Ask why. A host may need a name for the estate gate, not a copy of your passport. A short conversation can settle it.
- Choose another home. If a home’s ID rule does not suit you, pick one that does not ask, before you pay.
Once you have booked a home that asks for ID, please upload it before you arrive. Your host may not hand over the keys until they have checked who is at the door.
On arrival day
- Carry the same ID. Bring the document you uploaded. Your host may want to match your face to it when they hand over the keys.
- Expect the gate to ask your name. Estates often check visitors at the gate. Your name, the flat number and your host’s name are usually enough.
- Keep your stay page open. Press “I have arrived” when you get there. Your door code appears only after your host approves your check-in.
Sending ID safely
Sadly, fake shortlet adverts do exist, and some ask for ID as well as money. Your ID in the wrong hands can be used to open accounts or borrow money in your name. Follow these rules everywhere, not just on Cabans:
- Upload, do not forward. On Cabans, use the “Your ID” card on your stay page rather than WhatsApp or email.
- Only after a real booking. Never send ID to a stranger before you know the home and the booking are real.
- Never with money details. No card photos, no BVN, no bank statements, and never a one-time code (OTP).
- Mark any copy you must send elsewhere. Write across it, for example: “For [host name] shortlet booking, [dates], only.” A marked copy is much harder to misuse.
- Pay through the booking. A request to pay a deposit by transfer to a personal account, “to hold the dates”, is a classic warning sign.
Our guide to shortlet scam warning signs covers the other red flags, and how to pay for a shortlet safely explains the payment side.
Ready to book?
Find a shortlet you can book online, with the price, the house rules and the cancellation deadline shown before you pay. Popular places to start are shortlets in Lekki, Ikeja and Abuja.
Own a flat that sits empty? List your short let instead.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need ID to book a shortlet in Nigeria?
It depends on the host. To book on Cabans you need an account, and you pay online when you book. You only send a photo ID if the home asks for one, and only after your booking is confirmed.
Which IDs are accepted?
A passport, a driving licence or a national ID card. Send a clear photo (JPEG, PNG, WebP or HEIC) or a PDF, up to 10 MB per file.
Who can see my ID?
Only your host and the Cabans team. It is never shown on the listing or to other guests.
How long is my ID kept?
Guest ID documents are kept securely for up to 6 years after your stay, as data laws require, and then deleted. Your host can open your ID only until 30 days after check-out, and you can remove it yourself before check-out.
Why can I not see the “Your ID” card on my stay?
The card only appears when the home asks for ID, and only after your booking is confirmed. If you try to upload for a home that does not ask, you see “This stay does not ask for an ID.”
My ID file is too big. What do I do?
Files can be up to 10 MB. If you see “That file is too large”, take a new photo with your phone camera at a normal setting, or save a smaller copy of the PDF, then try again.
Should I send my ID to a host on WhatsApp?
Only if you are sure the host and the home are real, and never with card details or one-time codes. On Cabans, upload it on your stay page instead, where only your host and our team can see it.
Related guides
How to book a shortlet in Lagos · How to pay for a shortlet safely · Shortlet scam warning signs · Asking shortlet guests for ID (for hosts) · Booking a shortlet from abroad
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