For a REAL ID appointment, bring one original document proving your identity and lawful status, one document showing your full Social Security number, two documents proving your current physical address, and certified paperwork for any name change that breaks the chain between your birth certificate and the name you’re applying under. Everything must be an original or a certified copy. Photocopies, notarized copies, and expired documents get turned away at the counter.1Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
One Proof of Identity and Lawful Status
This single document has to establish both who you are and that you’re legally present in the country. Federal regulations list the qualifying options:2eCFR. 6 CFR 37.11 – Application and Documents the Applicant Must Provide
- A valid, unexpired U.S. passport
- A certified birth certificate issued by a state vital statistics office, with a raised or embossed seal (hospital souvenirs and commemorative certificates do not count)
- A Consular Report of Birth Abroad on Form FS-240, DS-1350, or FS-545
- A valid, unexpired permanent resident card (Form I-551)
- A valid, unexpired employment authorization document (Form I-766)
- A foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and an approved I-94 showing your most recent entry
- A Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship (Form N-550, N-570, N-560, or N-561)
- A current, compliant REAL ID card from any state
If the one identity document you own is expired, renew it before the appointment. The DMV will not process the REAL ID application without a currently valid original in hand.
One Document With Your Full Social Security Number
You need one document that displays all nine digits of your Social Security number. Anything showing only the last four will be rejected. Federal rules accept:3eCFR. 6 CFR Part 37 – Real ID Drivers Licenses and Identification Cards
- Your Social Security card
- A W-2
- An SSA-1099
- A non-SSA-1099
- A pay stub showing your name and full SSN
Most states will take any of those. Pennsylvania is stricter and requires the physical Social Security card itself.4Social Security Administration. Guard Your Card If you’ve lost the card, request a replacement through your my Social Security account at ssa.gov; a new card typically arrives within about two weeks.
Two Proofs of Your Physical Address
Federal rules require at least two separate documents showing your name at the address where you actually live.5eCFR. 6 CFR 37.11 – Application and Documents the Applicant Must Provide The exact list varies by state, but common options include:
- Utility bills for electric, water, gas, or phone service
- A mortgage statement or a signed residential lease
- Bank or financial institution statements
- A voter registration card
- Vehicle registration or an insurance policy
- Pay stubs that include your address
The address on the documents must be a physical residential address. A P.O. box will not satisfy the rule. States differ on how recent the documents have to be: some cap them at 60 days old, others accept up to 180 days. Check your state DMV’s specific timeframe before you go, because a bill that’s a week too old is grounds for rejection.
Living with someone else and not on any of the bills is a common problem, and most states solve it with a residency affidavit. The household bill-holder fills out a sworn form confirming you live there, and normally has to bring their own ID plus two of their own residency documents to back it up. Some states require that person to appear at the DMV with you. Rules for family members are sometimes looser than for unrelated housemates, so read your state’s affidavit instructions in full before the appointment.
Certified Paperwork for Every Name Change
If the name you’re applying under does not match the name on your identity document, bring certified documentation for each step in the chain. Someone born Jane Smith who married and became Jane Johnson, then divorced and became Jane Davis, needs the certified marriage certificate and the court-issued divorce decree that granted the second change.2eCFR. 6 CFR 37.11 – Application and Documents the Applicant Must Provide Acceptable name-change documents include:
- Certified marriage certificates issued by the court or county clerk
- Court orders granting a name change
- Adoption records
A marriage certificate signed only by the person who performed the ceremony is not the same as the certified county copy, and only the certified version counts. Each document must carry an official court or government seal.
Small middle-name discrepancies are usually forgiven. A birth certificate reading “Jane Marie Smith” against a Social Security card reading “Jane M. Smith” generally passes, so long as nothing else in the record conflicts. A completely different middle name, or an unexplained “Sr.” or “Jr.” that appears on one document but not the other, can trigger a rejection.
Extra Paperwork if You’re Not a U.S. Citizen
Lawful permanent residents with a green card qualify for a standard-term REAL ID, typically valid four to eight years depending on the state. Temporary visa holders get a REAL ID whose expiration matches the end of their authorized stay: if your work visa runs out in December 2027, so does your REAL ID.6Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions People with Temporary Protected Status or similar open-ended designations are typically issued cards valid one year at a time.
Temporary and limited-term cards are marked on the face as temporary, with the expiration date printed on the card. If your visa is later extended, the DMV will not update your REAL ID automatically. You’ll need to return with the updated immigration paperwork and get a new card issued.
Plan for the Gap Between Appointment and Card
One detail worth knowing before you leave the office: most states hand you a temporary paper permit at the counter and mail the permanent card two to four weeks later. TSA does not accept that temporary paper permit as identification at airport checkpoints.7Transportation Security Administration. Is a Temporary Drivers License Sufficient If you’re flying inside that window, bring your passport or another federally accepted ID to the airport.