Getting a driver's license or state ID in the U.S.

Step 1 — Know the two cards

Licenses and ID cards come from the states: each state has its own motor vehicle agency (USCIS), often called the DMV, though the name differs in some states (DHS).

• A driver’s license is what you need to drive (USCIS). A license from your state lets you drive anywhere in the U.S. (USA.gov).
• A state ID card comes from the same agency (USA.gov). Example: California says its ID cards prove identity or age but “do not allow you to operate a motor vehicle” (California DMV).
• Either card can be REAL ID-compliant or not; you choose when you apply (USA.gov).

Find your state’s official agency in the USA.gov directory, not through a search ad.

Step 2 — Driving on your license from home

• Depending on the state, you may need an International Driving Permit (IDP) together with your license from home; not every state requires one (USA.gov). An IDP translates your identifying information into other languages (USA.gov).
• Citizens of some countries don’t need one. Ask your country’s motor vehicle agency or embassy (USA.gov).
• Get it before you travel, from the country that issued your license: the U.S. does not issue IDPs to foreign visitors. IDPs issued for use in the U.S. are valid for 1 year (USA.gov).
• Car rental companies may ask for both documents (USA.gov).

Living here changes things. If you live in the U.S. permanently, you may be eligible for a license from your state, and the residency requirement differs by state (USA.gov). Example: New Jersey lets visitors drive for up to one year with a foreign license plus an IDP from their country of residence, and lets non-citizens who recently moved there transfer a foreign license (NJ MVC).

Step 3 — Gather your documents in the right order

Your state lists what it accepts, and may ask for more than the federal REAL ID minimum (TSA). Build your file in this order:

1. Immigration documents. USA.gov’s identity example for non-citizens is the green card (USA.gov). For nonimmigrants, TSA mentions a valid passport with a valid visa and an I-94 record, or an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) (TSA).
2. Proof of your address. Examples include a lease, a utility bill or a bank statement (USA.gov). So a lease and a bank account help here: see renting your first apartment and opening a bank account.
3. Your Social Security number (SSN). States still collect and check the number with the Social Security Administration. They no longer have to ask for a document showing it, but some still do — for example a Social Security card, a W-2 or SSA-1099 form, or a pay stub with your name and SSN (TSA). See our Social Security number guide.
4. Name links. If your name differs between documents, you must show the connection; your state decides which papers count (TSA).

F and M students: confirm with your school official (DSO) that your SEVIS record is Active, wait 10 days after arrival so your I-94 updates, and bring your signed I-20s, passport, visa and proof of residence — plus your EAD if you’re on OPT (DHS).

Step 4 — Choose REAL ID or a standard card

What it is. REAL ID is a 2005 law setting minimum security standards for state licenses and IDs. Since May 7, 2025, anyone 18 or older needs a REAL ID or another acceptable ID to fly within the U.S. or visit certain federal facilities (TSA). Uses outside these official purposes are not affected (TSA).

How to spot it. Look for a star in the upper right-hand corner (USA.gov). Non-compliant cards must say they are not acceptable for official purposes. “Enhanced” licenses from Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington also count (TSA).

You may not need it yet. TSA accepts a foreign passport, a permanent resident card or an Employment Authorization Card (I-766) at the airport, and says its list can change without notice (TSA). Standard cards are still available (USA.gov). A REAL ID is not valid for international travel (TSA).

Cards tied to your status. Under TSA’s REAL ID rules:

• permanent and conditional residents, approved asylees and refugees are eligible for a full-term card (TSA);
• people in a temporary lawful status — such as nonimmigrants, or people with a pending asylum or green card application, TPS or deferred action — get a limited-term card, valid no longer than their authorized stay (or one year if it has no end date), renewed in person (TSA);
• parole is not a REAL ID lawful status, except for certain Afghan parolees (TSA).

This guide can’t tell you which card you qualify for. For status questions, see free immigration legal help.

Step 5 — Apply in person

• Go yourself. The only way to get a REAL ID is in person at your DMV; nobody can speed it up for you (FTC).
• Photo. A religious head covering can stay on if your face stays fully visible from hairline to chin (TSA).
• Status check. The agency may verify your immigration status through SAVE, a USCIS service (USCIS). Most checks take seconds, some longer, and you can track yours with SAVE CaseCheck (USCIS). SAVE doesn’t decide — the agency does — and if you have several immigration documents, USCIS suggests showing the newest (USCIS).
• Tests. You may need a written and a driving test; some states waive them for licenses from home, and not all states accept foreign licenses (DHS). Examples: California requires drivers with a foreign license to pass both tests, with proof of insurance and an accompanying driver for the road test (California DMV); New Jersey can waive both for drivers from Taiwan and South Korea who meet all its criteria (NJ MVC). California’s handbook comes in seven languages besides English (California DMV).
• Temporary paper license. If you get one while you wait for the card, TSA won’t accept it (TSA). Fly with your passport until the card arrives.

Step 6 — Keep everything up to date

• Limited-term card: renewal is in person, with proof your status is still valid (TSA).
• Lost or stolen card: ask your state agency for a replacement (USA.gov).
• New address: follow your state’s rules, and remember that USCIS says most noncitizens must report a move to USCIS within 10 days (USCIS).