I-9 Acceptable Documents: Lists A, B, and C Explained

To complete Form I-9, an employee presents either one document from List A, which proves both identity and work authorization, or one document from List B (identity) paired with one from List C (work authorization). The employee picks which acceptable documents to show. The employer’s job is to examine what’s presented and decide whether it reasonably appears genuine, not to demand a particular item.

List A: One Document Covers Both

A single List A document ends the paperwork. If an employee hands over any one of these, the employer should not ask for anything more:¹

U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card.
Permanent Resident Card, Form I-551, commonly called a Green Card.
Foreign passport with a temporary I-551 stamp or printed notation, used by lawful permanent residents waiting for the physical card.
Employment Authorization Document, Form I-766, a photo ID for people with temporary permission to work.
Foreign passport accompanied by a Form I-94 or I-94A with an endorsement authorizing employment, typical for certain visa holders.
Passport from the Federated States of Micronesia or the Republic of the Marshall Islands with a Form I-94 or I-94A, for nationals authorized to work under the Compact of Free Association.

Asking for additional paperwork after receiving a valid List A document is prohibited and can constitute an unfair documentary practice under the Immigration and Nationality Act.²

List B: Proof of Identity

When the employee doesn’t have a List A document, they must show one document from List B plus one from List C. List B proves identity only. Any of the following works:¹

Driver’s license or state-issued ID card with a photograph or identifying information such as name, date of birth, and address. This is the most commonly used List B document.
ID card issued by a federal, state, or local government agency, with a photo or physical description.
School ID card with a photograph.
Voter registration card.
U.S. military card or draft record.
Military dependent’s ID card.
U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card.
Native American tribal document.
Canadian driver’s license.

The E-Verify Photo Requirement

If the employer participates in E-Verify, the List B document must contain a photograph. A voter registration card, for instance, typically wouldn’t qualify in that setting.³

Workers Under 18

A minor who can’t produce a standard List B document has options. A parent or legal guardian can complete Section 1 on the minor’s behalf, writing “minor under age 18” in the signature field; the employer then writes “minor under age 18” in the List B space of Section 2 and records whatever List C document the minor provides.³ School records, clinic or hospital records, and day-care records also qualify as List B documents for minors who can’t produce the standard options.¹

List C: Proof of Work Authorization

A List C document confirms the right to work but doesn’t establish identity, so it must always be paired with a List B item. Acceptable List C documents include:⁴

Unrestricted Social Security card. Cards printed with “NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT” or “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION” do not qualify, and laminated cards are rejected.
Original or certified birth certificate with an official seal, issued by a state, county, or municipal authority. Puerto Rico birth certificates must be issued on or after July 1, 2010.
Certification of Birth Abroad, Form FS-545, or Certification of Report of Birth, Form DS-1350. Neither is still being issued, but existing copies remain valid.
Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Form FS-240.
Native American tribal document.
U.S. Citizen ID Card, Form I-197, or Resident Citizen ID Card, Form I-179.
Other employment authorization documents issued by DHS, including certain Form I-94 records issued to asylees or work-authorized visa holders, Certificates of Citizenship (Form N-560), and Certificates of Naturalization (Form N-550).

Rules That Apply to Every Document

Whichever path the employee chooses, three rules apply.

Originals only. Photocopies and printouts don’t count. The one exception is a certified copy of a birth certificate bearing an official seal, which is accepted as if it were the original.⁵

Unexpired. Every document must be current on the day it’s presented. An expired passport or lapsed Employment Authorization Document won’t satisfy the requirement, no matter how valid it was at the time of issue.⁶

The employee picks. The employer cannot tell a worker which specific documents to bring, cannot insist on a Green Card, cannot refuse a valid driver’s license because a passport would be preferred, and cannot demand more documents than the form requires.² The Department of Justice’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section enforces these protections, treating three practices as violations: requesting more documents than needed, demanding a specific document, and rejecting documents that appear genuine on their face.⁷

If a Document Is Lost, Stolen, or Damaged

An employee whose document has been lost, stolen, or damaged can present a receipt showing they’ve applied for a replacement. The receipt is valid for 90 days from the hire date. Within that window, the employee must produce the actual replacement, or a different acceptable document from Lists A, B, or C.⁸

A Form I-94 with a refugee admission stamp works as a List A receipt for 90 days, after which the employee must present an Employment Authorization Document or a List B and List C combination. Receipts cannot be accepted at all if the job will last fewer than three days.⁸

When Work Authorization Expires

Some workers have authorization tied to an expiration date, such as those on an Employment Authorization Document or certain visas. Before that date, the employee must present a new unexpired document from List A or List C showing continued authorization, which the employer records on Supplement B of the original Form I-9.⁹

Reverification covers work authorization only. Identity documents from List B are not re-examined, and workers whose status doesn’t expire, such as U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, never go through reverification at all.⁹

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9 Acceptable Documents
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 4.0 Completing Section 2 – Employer Review and Verification
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Minors
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.3 List C Documents That Establish Employment Authorization
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Completing Section 2, Employer Review and Attestation
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E-Verify. E-Verify User Manual – 2.1.3 Unexpired Document Required
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Handbook for Employers M-274 11.2 Types of Employment Discrimination Prohibited Under the INA
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Receipts
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Handbook for Employers M-274 6.1 Reverifying Employment Authorization for Current Employees