Method and apparatus for checking security features in security documents

The invention relates to a method for checking an electroluminescent at an excitation security feature in security documents or materials. For this purpose, the electroluminescence of the security feature is first excited with the aid of an activator. Then, the distance between stimulator and electroluminescent security feature as well as the intensity of the emission is caused by the electroluminescence genmessen. Finally, the measured intensity is corrected in dependence on the measured distance, to form a standardized to a predetermined distance based, distance-corrected intensity value. The invention further relates to an apparatus for performing this method.