What to expect
PennDOT’s Driver License Centers can check your documents when you apply for a REAL ID. To make the process easier, gather your documents now and store them safely.
If you received your first Pennsylvania driver’s license, learner’s permit, or photo ID card after September 2003, PennDOT may already have your required documents on file.
Required documents for all applicants
To get a REAL ID, you must provide:
- One document proving identity and lawful status.
- One document proving your Social Security number.
- Two documents proving your Pennsylvania residency.
- Proof of legal name change when applicable.
Even if you already have a PA driver’s license or ID, you still need to provide these documents.
Proof of identity and lawful status (choose one)
Provide one of the following documents:
- U.S. birth certificate with a raised seal, issued by a government agency, Office of Vital Statistics and Records (not a hospital or souvenir certificate)
- Valid, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card
- Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561)
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240, DS-1350, or FS-545)
- Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570)
- Unexpired Employment Authorization Card (Form I-766 or I-688B)
- Valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) (Form I-551)
- Unexpired foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and I-94 form showing permanent residence
I don’t have my birth certificate
If you don’t have your birth certificate, contact the vital records office in your birth state. Some states take up to six months to process requests, so start early.
If you were born in Pennsylvania, the standard birth certificate format issued by the Department of Health (DOH) satisfies the proof of identity requirements to get a REAL ID. All birth certificates issued by DOH are certified copies and include the raised/embossed seal required by PennDOT. PennDOT does not require parent names to be listed, so if you have a “short form” certificate, that is still valid for use for REAL ID.
You can apply for a PA birth certificate online, by mail, or in person at a Vital Records public office. VitalChek is PA’s only authorized vendor for online orders. Using any other site may cause delays or extra costs.
Note: Non-U.S. citizens may need additional documents.
Proof of Social Security number (choose one)
Provide one of the following documents:
- Social Security card
- W-2 form
- SSA-1099 form
- Non-SSA-1099 form
- Pay stub with full Social Security number
Must be in current legal name and show all 9 digits of your Social Security number.
I don’t have my Social Security card
You can request a free replacement online or use one of the other forms of identification listed above.
If you don’t have a Social Security number, you must provide an original SSA ineligibility letter showing you’re not eligible due to your visa status, even though you submitted lawful status documents.
Proof of Pennsylvania residency (choose two)
You need two physical, not electronic, documents showing your Pennsylvania address. Acceptable documents include:
- Current PA driver’s license or photo ID
- PA vehicle registration card
- Auto insurance card
- Utility bill with your name and address
- W-2 form
- Tax records
- Lease agreement or mortgage document
- Any mail that has moved through the US postal service
Documents for legal name, date of birth, or gender designation updates
If your legal name, date of birth, or gender designation is different from what’s on your identity document, you must show proof of the change.
Legal name or date of birth change
You do not need to provide name change documents if your passport shows your current legal name.
If you’ve changed your name due to marriage or other legal reasons, provide one of the following:
- Certified marriage certificate(s) for each marriage
- Court order approving a name or date of birth change
- Amended birth certificate showing a name or date of birth change
If you were married more than once, provide marriage certificates showing each name change. Divorce papers are only needed if you returned to your maiden name.
Gender designation change
If your gender designation has changed at the time of REAL ID issuance, you must provide a completed DL-32 form.