Home
INDEX  A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
MVD banner

Proof of identity for an Iowa driver's license or identification (ID)card

Driver's license and ID photo
An Iowa-issued photo driver’s license or ID card is satisfactory proof of age and identity. If you are age 18 or older and are applying for a new or duplicate driver’s license or ID card, you must provide one item from the primary list and one item from the secondary list shown below. The documents must be issued in the United States unless otherwise specified.

If you are younger than 18 years old and not married, you must furnish a primary form of ID, a secondary form of ID, a parent’s consent form, and proof of a Social Security number. Your Social Security card may be used for secondary ID and proof of a Social Security number. The consent form shows your parent‘s or guardian’s permission to drive.

If you are younger than 18 years old and married, you may prove your age and identity by showing a primary form of ID, a certified marriage certificate, and proof of a Social Security number.

Driver license personnel will determine if documents provided from this list are acceptable.
Photocopies and faxes of documents will not be accepted.
Out-of-state driver licenses or IDs will NOT be accepted as a primary document.

Primary and secondary identity document list

Primary


  1. Iowa photo driver’s license or Iowa photo ID card. These are satisfactory proof of age and identity that serve as both primary and secondary forms of ID.
  2. Birth certificate issued in the United States. It must be certified, have a stamp or raised seal of the issuing authority and be issued by the state bureau of vital statistics, the state board of health or comparable agency. A hospital-issued birth certificate (usually with footprints) is NOT acceptable. Visit the National Center for Health Statistics for information on obtaining birth certificates, marriage licenses and divorce decrees from each state.
  3. Valid United States passport.
  4. Approved and acceptable United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) document.
  5. Military ID card. This does NOT include a military dependent ID card.
  6. Iowa Department of Corrections Inmate Descriptor Inquiry form, Client Information Inquiry form or Offender Snapshot document. The form must be notarized and contain the full name and date of birth.
Secondary


  1. Any document from the primary list.
  2. Social Security card issued by the Social Security Administration. A metal version of the card is not acceptable.
  3. Photo driver’s license or state-issued photo ID card that has NOT been expired for more than one year.
  4. Marriage certificate.
  5. Military dependent ID card.
  6. Military discharge, military orders or separation papers.
  7. Employer ID card.
  8. Student photo ID card.
  9. Certified school record or transcript.
  10. Health insurance card.
  11. Document issued by the Internal Revenue Service or a state tax agency. W-2 tax forms completed by the employer are acceptable.
  12. Voter registration card.
  13. Welfare card.
  14. Gun permit.
  15. Pilot’s license.
  16. Prison release document.
  17. Court order that contains the applicant’s FULL name.
  18. Prison release document.
  19. Bureau of Indian Affairs or Indian Treaty Card. A tribal ID card is NOT acceptable.
  20. Social Insurance card issued by the Canadian government.
  21. Foreign birth certificate. It must be translated by an approved translator, if translation is necessary.
  22. Parent or guardian affidavit. The parent or guardian must appear in person, submit proof of the parent’s or guardian’s age and identity and submit a certified or notarized affidavit regarding the child’s identity. This applies only to minors.