FileSeal is a UK-hosted secure document sharing service for art galleries and dealers. You create an encrypted upload link in about 30 seconds, your client or consignor uploads provenance documents, condition reports, consignment paperwork or identity evidence without creating an account, and you download the files once before they are deleted from FileSeal’s servers. The free trial is 5 secure requests with no time limit and no card. Professional is £29 a month (£25 billed annually) and Teams is £59 a month (£47 billed annually) for up to 5 people including the owner, both plus VAT.
Prices and facts last reviewed: September 2026. Prices exclude UK VAT.
The Reality of Art Market Document Handling
AML Duties Are Mandatory
Under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (extended to art market participants in 2020), transactions of €10,000 or more require KYC checks. Emailing ID and source-of-funds evidence leaves that evidence exposed.
Collectors Expect Discretion
High-net-worth collectors value privacy above almost everything else. A gallery that asks them to email sensitive identity documents over plain email signals it doesn’t take that seriously.
Provenance Is Irreplaceable
A condition report or certificate of authenticity emailed to the wrong person, or left sitting in an inbox, is a breach that cannot be undone. One leak can unravel a transaction and damage relationships built over years.
The Secure Handoff for Art Market Documents
Replace the “please email your passport” moment with professional, encrypted document transfer
1. Create secure link
30 seconds“Please upload your proof of identity, source of funds, or provenance documents using this secure link.” One link per collector or transaction.
2. Collector uploads securely
AES-256 encryptionDocuments are encrypted on their device before they leave it. No passwords, no registration, just the level of care a serious gallery should offer.
3. You download once
Then deleted from our serversUploads and downloads logged for your AML records. Documents automatically deleted after download. Nothing left sitting in an inbox or cloud folder.
Perfect for Art Gallery Document Workflows
KYC and AML Evidence Collection
Passports, proof of address, and source-of-funds documentation for high-value buyers
Provenance and Authenticity Documents
Certificates of authenticity, exhibition history, and scholarly attributions shared with buyers or consignors
Condition Reports
Detailed condition assessments shared ahead of purchase, loan, or consignment decisions
Consignment Agreements
Signed consignment and sale-or-return paperwork exchanged with artists and private sellers
Valuations and Appraisals
Insurance and probate valuations sent to collectors and estate administrators discreetly
Shipping and Export Documentation
Import licences, CITES permits, and export paperwork for international transactions
Viewing Codes and References
Send a private viewing code or an authentication reference as a one-time note
Why Art Galleries Choose FileSeal
See how FileSeal compares to common alternatives
| Method | Encryption | Access Control | Auto-Delete | Audit Trail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
FileSeal | AES-256 | One-time URLs | Automatic | Complete |
Email | Plain text | Forwarded/stored | Permanent | None |
WeTransfer | In transit | Download tracking | 3 days | Limited |
Google Drive | At rest | Link sharing | Permanent | Limited |
Ways a gallery can collect a client document, compared
| How you collect it | Who can read the file | After the download | Record you can point to | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email attachment | Every mail server and mailbox the message passes through | The attachment stays in both mailboxes until somebody deletes it | Nothing beyond your sent folder | Included with your mail account |
| WeTransfer or a similar transfer service | The provider holds the keys, so it can access the files | Kept for a fixed window whether or not anyone downloaded it | None on the free tier | Free tier, or a paid plan |
| A Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive link | The provider holds the keys, plus anyone the link reaches | The file stays in your drive until you remove it | Access logs on business tiers | Bundled with a storage subscription |
| A gallery or collection management system | Your firm and the vendor, under their terms | Stored for the life of the matter | Usually, inside the system | Typically quoted per user on request |
| FileSeal | Anyone holding the link, and its key in Most private mode, can open it once. In the default Email them mode FileSeal holds the key too, so it can email a working link | Deleted from FileSeal’s servers after the one download | Uploads, downloads and collections logged against the request | £29 a month plus VAT, after 5 free requests |
See also: FileSeal compared with WeTransfer.
Frequently asked questions
What galleries and dealers ask before switching from email.
How much does FileSeal cost for a gallery or dealership?
The free trial is 5 secure requests with no time limit and no card. Professional is £29 a month (£25 billed annually) and Teams is £59 a month (£47 billed annually) for up to 5 people including the owner, both plus VAT. Professional covers unlimited secure requests for one person, so a gallery or dealership pays a flat monthly fee rather than per document.
Do clients and consignors need an account to upload documents?
No. Clients upload from any device without creating an account or installing anything. They open the link, choose their files and upload. Nothing is installed and no password is set.
Can I use FileSeal for art market anti-money-laundering checks?
You can use it to collect the identity and source-of-funds documents a check calls for, with an encrypted one-time link rather than an email attachment, and a log of when each document arrived. FileSeal does not carry out the check, screen a client or verify a document: that remains the gallery’s responsibility.
Where are provenance and client documents stored?
The application, database and encrypted files are hosted in the UK: Vercel in London, Neon PostgreSQL in AWS eu-west-2, and Vercel Blob’s UK store. Supporting services such as email delivery and error monitoring run in the UK or the EEA, listed in the Data Processing Agreement at fileseal.uk/terms/dpa.
Can FileSeal read the documents a consignor uploads?
It depends on the delivery mode, and FileSeal states both plainly. “Email them” is the default and lets FileSeal keep the key so it can email a working link. “Get a link”, labelled Most private, keeps the key only in the link, so FileSeal stores ciphertext it cannot read. Files are encrypted with AES-GCM-256 on the device before upload in either mode.
What documents can I collect securely?
Anything a sale, consignment or AML check calls for, within the accepted types and sizes: provenance documents and exhibition history, condition reports, consignment and loan agreements, export licences and shipping paperwork, passports and photo ID, proof of address and source-of-funds evidence. Client upload links accept PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG and PNG at up to 10 MB per file.
Security Guides for Art Galleries & Dealers
Practical guidance on AML obligations, secure document collection, and protecting collector confidentiality in the UK art market.
Sharing Provenance Documents Securely
How UK galleries and dealers can share certificates of authenticity and provenance records without leaving sensitive material in email inboxes.
Condition Reports and Consignment Papers: Secure Sharing
Best practice for exchanging condition reports and consignment agreements with artists, private sellers, and auction partners.
Art Dealer KYC and AML Document Collection in the UK
A practical guide to collecting identity and source-of-funds evidence under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 for art market participants.