Proof of Residency:

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For the first time issuance of a North Carolina identification card, learner permit or driver license, proof of residency is required which must include name and current North Carolina residence address. This is in addition to proof of age and identity requirements. Acceptable documents include the following. NOTE: The proof of residency documents are subject to verifiable authenticity by the Division.

(1) Documents issued by the United States Government or by the government of another nation, such as

• Military orders
• Valid passport
• Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) documents
• Correspondence from Veterans Administration
• Matricula Consular from Government of Mexico
• Correspondence from the Social Security Administration

(2) Documents issued by the State of North Carolina or its political subdivisions (County, city) another State, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a U.S. Territory, such as

• Valid North Carolina vehicle registration
• Correspondence or a service card from Social Services
• Property tax statement
• Library card
• North Carolina voter registration card

(3) A preprinted bank or other corporate statement (Example: Bank statement)

(4) A preprinted business letterhead

(5) Documents deemed reliable by the Division such as

• Apartment lease, housing contract, mortgage statement
• Utility bill (Power bill, cable bill, water bill, etc.) or contract for utility services
• School records signed by school official, including driver education certificates
• Computer generated tax record
• Current life, health, property or automobile insurance policy or binder
• Letter from homeless shelter
• Document from Social Services
• Computer generated check stub

A sworn affidavit may be used ONLY if one of the above documents is NOT available. In the case of a minor, a parent or legal guardian must sign the affidavit. General Statutes requires a $2.00 fee for execution of an affidavit.

Proof of Age and Identity:

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Individuals who are 18 years of age or older can apply for any type of North Carolina driver license and/or motorcycle endorsement. There may be additional requirements for individuals applying for a CDL. Please refer to the CDL Handbook.

The DMV requires proof of your full name and your social security number (SSN) or a document issued by the United States Government indicating legal presence. To prove your name and age, you may present a valid or expired North Carolina Driver License, Learner Permit or Identification Card. If you do not have any of these, you must present two documents from the following list. The name must be the same on both documents and at least one must reflect the date of birth. The documents cannot come from the same category (e.g. two school documents)

• Driver License or State-Issued Identification Card from another state, Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, or a Canadian province
• Certified birth certificate issued by a government agency in the U.S., Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, or Canada or U.S. Report of Consular Birth Abroad
• Original Social Security Card (not the metal or plastic card or laminated card or other reproductions);
• Official North Carolina School Registration records signed by a school official and Diplomas or GED issued by North Carolina schools, including secondary schools, community colleges, colleges and universities
• Unexpired U.S. Military Identification, including DD-2, DD-214, Common Access Card, and U.S. Military Dependents Card
• Valid, unexpired Passport from any nation
  FORM OF ID ACCEPTED EXPLANATION

• A valid, unexpired license/ID card or learner permit with a photo meets the requirements for 1 form of ID
• A driver license, learner permit or ID card with photo which has been expired less than one year may be used as one form of identification
• A valid unexpired driver license, learner permit or ID card without a photo can be used as one form of identification. No photocopies allowed, unless certified by issuing agency. May not be laminated. Driver Education Certificates, Driving Eligibility Certificates and report cards are not accepted as proof of identification. They are acceptable for proof of residency.
• If from nation other than United States, the passport must include an unexpired INS stamp, such as the I-94 or I-551.
• A passport with a valid INS or BIS stamp counts as 2 documents, since the passport is issued by the country of origin and the immigration stamp is issued by the U.S.
• Certified marriage certificate from a Register of Deeds or appropriate government agency in the United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories or Canada.
• Limited Driving Privilege issued by North Carolina
• Valid, unexpired documents issued by the U.S. Bureau of Immigration Services (BIS) formerly known as Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS)
• Court documents from U.S. jurisdiction, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories or Canada
• U.S. Veterans Universal Access Card Cannot be expired more than 1 year
• An expired immigration document may be valid if accompanied by a letter from US BIS or INS extending the expiration date (e.g. I-797)
• Primary BIS or INS document must have applicant's photo
• Divorce Decree
• Court order for change of name or gender
• Adoption Papers
• Certified Court order for child support

When you successfully receive a North Carolina driver license, you will have to surrender any driver license you have that was issued by another state. You will also be required to turn in any valid North Carolina identification cards in your possession. For an applicant under 18 years of age, the application for a graduated license must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

Social Security Card Requirement:

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When making application for an identification card, learners permit or driver license, it is required by law that you provide DMV with a valid Social Security card. If you are not eligible for a Social Security card, you must provide documentation issued by the United States Government indicating legal presence. By law, the DMV may disclose a Social Security Number only as follows:

• For the purpose of administering drivers license laws.
• To the Department of Health and Human Services, Child Support Enforcement Program for the purpose of establishing paternity or child support or enforcing a child support order.
• To the Department of Revenue for the purpose of verifying taxpayer identity.
• To the Office of Indigent Defense Services of the Judicial Department for the purpose of verifying the identity of a represented client and enforcing a court order to pay for the legal services rendered.
• To each county jury commission for the purpose of the verifying the identity of deceased persons whose names should be removed.

  The Social Security number on an application will be kept confidential and will not be printed on your driver license, learner permit or identification card.

Additional Documents for Applicant's Under Age 18:

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If you are under age 18, you fall within the graduated licensing statutes. Therefore, when you are applying for a Driver's License or Learner Permit you must provide:

A Driving Eligibility Certificate, High School Diploma or GED certificate And provide proof of completion of driver education course consisting of at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind the wheel instruction. For more information, please review Graduated Licensing.

Proof of Insurance:

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The N.C. General Assembly has enacted legislation to require some (but not all) driver license applicants in North Carolina to submit proof of automobile liability insurance coverage in order to obtain a North Carolina driver license. Proof of liability insurance coverage applies to those:

• Applying for an original license, including transfers from out-of-state;
• Whose licenses are being restored after revocation or suspension; or
• Awarded a "Limited Driving Privilege" by the court.

Certification of liability insurance coverage must be submitted on DMV Form DL-123, or an original liability insurance policy, binder or an insurance card and must come from an insurance company licensed to do business in North Carolina:

These documents must show:

• Applicant's name;
• Effective date of policy;
• Expiration date; and
• Date the policy was issued

Form DL-123, binders and certificates are valid only for 30 days from the date of issuance. This does not apply to applicants who do not own currently registered motor vehicles and who do not operate nonfleet private passenger motor vehicles that are owned by other persons. In such cases it is required that a certification of exemption (DL-123A) be signed at the driver license office.

The exemption restricts the driver to the operation of "Fleet Vehicles Only". To remove the restriction the driver must pay a $10.00 fee and submit DMV Form DL-123.