A hearing device and methods for operating a hearing device is discloed, the hearing device comprising a processing unit configured to compensate for hearing loss of a user of the hearing device; an interface; and a memory unit, wherein the memory unit has stored therein a first primary customer device identifier; a first model certificate comprising a first customer identifier; and second model data comprising a second model customer identifier and second model information data indicative of one or more available models for the hearing device, wherein the processing unit is configured to verify the second model data; and upon successful verification of the second model data, operate the hearing device according to the second model information data.