Identity Documents Necessary for a Washington Drivers License/Identification Card
by: Northwest Justice Project
At times there is confusion in the community regarding the type of documents that are needed to obtain a driver's license. This document explains the law about identification documents that you will need in Washington State. When you go to the Department of Licensing to obtain your license or identification card, you should take documents that prove your identity. The Department has three ways to prove your identity.
First, there are documents that the department has to accept, if you have them. These documents are:
an old driver's license or identification card from this state;
an old driver's license or identification card from another state;
a U.S. military identification card;
a U.S. passport that has your photo and signature;
a U.S. immigration form that has your photo and signature;
a U.S. or state government employee identification card.
YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS TO OBTAIN A DRIVER'S LICENSE
If you do not have one of these documents, you can prove your identity by using other documents. You can use a combination of particular documents that include one document that lists your name and date of birth, and is either a foreign passport, certain native American tribe's enrollment documents or Bureau of Indian Affairs documents, verification letters from some specified correctional authorities or certain Washington city or county police employee ID cards, and two additional documents that include your name and signature.
If you do not have any of these documents, you must take at least five documents that have your photo, signature, address and/or date of birth. One document must have your name and date of birth.
The most common examples of documents that the department will accept include certified birth certificates, certain court papers, foreign passports or driver's licenses, and refugee relief placement packets. A second document must have your name and signature. Common examples include library, bank, credit and bus pass cards, the Mexican matriculate consular, medical coupons, cancelled checks or rent agreements. The additional three documents that you present must be from a particular list approved by the department, and available at www.dol.wa.gov/ds/id.htm.
If the Department of Licensing does not accept this identification, you can do one of the following:
If you only need a driver's license, you can obtain a license that is "not valid as identification." With this license, it is legal to drive, but you can not use the license for identification.
If you need an identification and a driver's license, you can ask that a supervisor in the office review your documents to see if they are sufficient to establish your identity. If they still deny you a license or identification card, you can write a letter to the director of the Department of Licensing.
The law now requires that you give your Social Security number to the Department of Licensing. However, if you do not have a social security number, you can sign a paper saying that you have no number. Ask for the form at the licensing office.
If you are low-income and have questions about how to obtain your license or identification card, you can call:
CLEAR: 1-888-201-1014 between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., weekdays; (to speak with an attorney or legal assistant and receive advice and/or referral for more assistance);
COLUMBIA LEGAL SERVICES Wenatchee: 1-800-572-9615 Kennewick: 1-888-201-9735 Yakima: 1-800-631-1323
This publication provides general information concerning your rights and responsibilities. It is not intended as a substitute for specific legal advice. This information is current as of the date of its printing, March 2004.
Information, Not Legal Advice. We are providing this information as a public service. We try to make it accurate as of the date noted in the materials. Sometimes the laws change. We cannot promise that this information is always up-to-date and correct. Most of the information provided on this web site is specific to Washington State law.
We do not intend this information to be legal advice. By providing this information, we are not acting as your lawyer. If you need legal advice, you should contact a lawyer through your local legal aid organization. Always talk to a competent lawyer, if you can, before taking legal action.
Permission for copying and distribution granted to the Alliance for Equal Justice and individuals for non-commercial use only.
Lawyer Advertising. This web site is not intended to be advertising or solicitation. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based on advertisements. Before hiring an attorney, you should investigate his or her reputation and qualifications.
Links. Some of the items listed here have not been prepared by us, but are instead "links" to information prepared and posted by others. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of information posted on other sites. The links are not intended to imply that we sponsor or are affiliated or associated with the persons who created those sites, nor are the links intended to imply that we are legally authorized to use any trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the links.
In an effort to improve this site, we would appreciate learning about your visit to Washington LawHelp.
Washington LawHelp is provided as a public service by the Northwest Justice Project in collaboration with other legal aid providers in the Alliance for Equal Justice and Washington courts.
