Legal Presence U.S./Naturalized Citizen

You must provide proof of legal presence in the United States to obtain or renew a drivers license or state ID. You must present a legible, unexpired document from the list below. Note: Additional documents may be required to obtain a REAL ID credential.

U.S./Naturalized Citizen

1. Birth Certificate - must be a certified copy from a State Office of Vital Statistics or equivalent agency showing the individual was born in:
   1. a State of the United States,
   2. District of Columbia,
   3. Puerto Rico after January 12, 1941, *See Comment
   4. Virgin Islands after January 16, 1917,
   5. Guam after April 11, 1899,
   6. American Samoa after February 15, 1900,
   7. Swains Island after March 3, 1925, or
   8. Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands after January 8, 1978;
2. Passport or Passport Card from the United States
3. Consular of Report of Birth Abroad, Certificate of Report of Birth or Certification of Report of Birth
4. Certificate of Naturalization,
5. Certificate of U.S. Citizenship,
6. United States Citizen Identification Card,
7. Identification Card for Resident Citizen in the U.S.,
8. American Indian Card, or
9. Northern Mariana Identification Card.

*Comment: On July 1, 2010, the Vital Statistics Office of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico began issuing new, more secure certified copies of birth certificates to U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico, because of a new Puerto Rico birth certificate law. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles will not accept any certified copies of Puerto Rico birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010 for the purpose of establishing legal presence for driver license and identification applications. Individuals who were born in Puerto Rico and are now living elsewhere can apply for a new birth certificate on-line.

A person born in the United States who is unable to produce a document listed above, may present acceptable alternative documents as follows:

1. A certified letter from a jurisdiction listed above stating that no birth record exists. The letter must include the person's name, date of birth, the years covered by the search for a birth record, and that there is no birth record on file; and
2. A document issued by the United States or a jurisdiction listed above, showing the name, date of birth and the birth occurred in a jurisdiction listed above, including military discharge records, census records, and school records; or
3. At least one of the following:
   1. baptismal certificate, religious record or tribal record showing name, date of birth and the birth occurred in a jurisdiction listed above.
   2. hospital birth certificate showing name, date of birth and the birth occurred in a jurisdiction listed above.
   3. doctor's record of birth showing name, date of birth and the birth occurred in a jurisdiction listed above, or
   4. newspaper or insurance files showing name, date of birth and the birth occurred in a jurisdiction listed above.

Persons born outside the United States claiming citizenship through one United States citizen parent may present:

1. person's foreign birth certificate,
2. proof of citizenship of parent, and
3. evidence of the applicant's legal relationship to parent.

Persons born outside the United States claiming citizenship through two United State citizen parents may present:

1. person's foreign birth certificate,
2. parent's marriage certificate or evidence of the applicant's relationship to the citizen parents, and
3. proof of citizenship of parents.