To open a bank account in the United States, you need an unexpired government-issued photo ID, a taxpayer identification number (usually a Social Security Number), and a street address. Federal law requires every bank to verify these before opening an account for you.1eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks A driver’s license is the most common ID, but it is far from the only one that works.
Photo IDs Banks Accept
The federal rule that governs identity verification names a driver’s license and a passport as examples, and describes acceptable documents broadly as any unexpired government-issued ID showing nationality or residence and bearing a photograph.1eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks In practice, banks routinely accept:
- A state-issued driver’s license, current and unexpired.
- A state-issued ID card for non-drivers, issued by the same agency as a driver’s license.
- A U.S. passport or passport card.
- A U.S. military ID card, including active duty, reserve, and retired Department of Defense IDs.
Whatever you bring has to be unexpired. A document past its expiration date will be rejected, and the ID should be undamaged, with a legible photo and no signs of alteration.
REAL ID compliance does not matter here. REAL ID enforcement applies to air travel and access to federal facilities, not to bank accounts.2USAGov. How to Get a REAL ID and Use It for Travel A standard driver’s license without the star still works.
If You Don’t Have a U.S. Driver’s License or Passport
For non-citizens, a foreign passport is widely accepted as the primary document. Many banks also accept the Matricula Consular issued by Mexican consulates, a U.S. Employment Authorization Card, a Permanent Resident Card (green card), or a Tribal ID card. Which documents a given bank will take varies, so it’s worth checking the bank’s website or calling before you visit.
When one document isn’t enough on its own, banks often ask for a secondary item to strengthen the file. Common secondary documents include a Social Security card, a birth certificate, a photo student ID from an accredited college, or a utility bill or bank statement that ties your name to an address. These supplement a primary photo ID rather than replace it. A birth certificate on its own, for example, won’t open an account.
The regulation also allows banks to verify identity through non-documentary methods, such as checking your information against a consumer reporting agency, a public database, or a reference from another financial institution.3eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks Whether a bank offers that path is up to the bank; many stick to documents by default.
Your Social Security Number or ITIN
Photo ID alone doesn’t finish the job. Banks also have to collect a taxpayer identification number, which is used to report interest and other income to the IRS.4Internal Revenue Service. U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number Requirement For citizens and permanent residents, that’s your Social Security Number.
If you aren’t eligible for an SSN, you can use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number instead. An ITIN is a nine-digit number the IRS issues to people who need to file taxes but can’t get an SSN, including certain nonresident and resident aliens and their dependents.5Internal Revenue Service. Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TIN) You apply using Form W-7. Processing runs about seven weeks under normal conditions, or nine to eleven weeks during tax season (January 15 through April 30) or from overseas.6Internal Revenue Service. How to Apply for an ITIN Some banks will open an account while your ITIN application is pending; others want the number in hand first. Ask before you go.
Address Requirement
Banks are required to obtain a residential or business street address from every individual applicant.1eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks Most banks confirm it by asking for a document that shows your name at a physical location, such as a utility bill, a lease, or a voter registration card. A P.O. box on its own generally won’t satisfy the rule, because the regulation calls for a street address.
The address on your supporting documents should match what you enter on the application. A mismatch, such as a utility bill at one address and a driver’s license at another, can trigger additional review and slow things down.
If You Don’t Have a Traditional Address
The regulation includes an exception for people without a residential or business street address. The bank can accept an Army Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) box number, or the street address of a next of kin or another contact person.7GovInfo. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks That covers military personnel stationed overseas, people experiencing homelessness, and others without a fixed address. If you’re staying at a shelter, you may be able to use the shelter’s address or a family member’s.
Opening an Account for a Child
When a parent or guardian opens an account on behalf of a minor, the customer for verification purposes is the adult. The parent provides their own name, date of birth, address, and taxpayer ID, along with valid photo ID, just as they would for their own account.8Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Guidance to Encourage Financial Institutions Youth Savings Programs and Address Related Frequently Asked Questions
If a bank permits a minor to open an account on their own, it uses risk-based procedures for the minor’s identity. Acceptable documents can include a student ID card or other school-issued identification, and some banks use non-documentary methods such as a teacher’s confirmation in an in-school banking program.8Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Guidance to Encourage Financial Institutions Youth Savings Programs and Address Related Frequently Asked Questions Age policies vary. Some banks offer teen accounts to customers as young as 13 but require a parent or guardian as co-owner until age 17 or 18, and minors typically have to open in person rather than online.
Online vs. In-Person Applications
The identification requirements are the same whichever way you apply. What changes is how the bank sees your documents.
At a branch, a representative reviews the originals and may photocopy them. Online, you upload clear photos or scans, and the bank’s system runs the information through third-party verification software. Some banks add knowledge-based authentication, a set of questions drawn from your credit or public records, such as a past address or the lender on an old loan. Online decisions often come back within minutes, though a manual review can take a day or two. If the system can’t verify you online, the bank may ask you to bring your originals to a branch.
If Your Application Is Denied
A denial isn’t always about ID. Banks also check your banking history through specialty consumer reporting agencies like ChexSystems and Early Warning Services. Unpaid overdrafts, account abuse, or suspected fraud reported by a prior bank can be enough for a new bank to turn you down.
When a denial is based in whole or in part on a consumer report, federal law requires the bank to send an adverse action notice. It has to identify the reporting agency, state that the agency did not make the decision, and tell you how to get a free copy of the report and dispute inaccuracies.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1681m – Requirements on Users of Consumer Reports You’re also entitled to one free ChexSystems report every 12 months even without a denial, which is worth pulling before you apply.10Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Chex Systems, Inc.
If the report has an error, file a dispute with the reporting company and a separate dispute with the bank that supplied the information. Both are required to investigate and correct inaccurate or incomplete information under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.11Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Do I Dispute an Error on My Checking Account Consumer Report
If your record is legitimately negative, some banks and credit unions offer second-chance checking accounts. These often carry higher fees or fewer features, but they let you back into the banking system. After a period of responsible use, often about a year, many banks will convert the account to a standard checking account.