California Required Identification Documents
What you need to bring to the DMV office to prove identity, residency, and Social Security number.
- Acceptable identity documents
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The handbook requires 'Proof of identity: Proving who you are' as one of the documents an applicant must present, and does not print the acceptable-document list; it points to dmv.ca.gov/realid. The full What You Need list for an instruction permit or driver's license is: proof of identity, two proofs of California residency (exceptions may apply), a legal full name document proving the current name where the name on the identity document and the application do not match, and a social security number (exceptions may apply).
- Acceptable residency documents
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California requires two proofs of California residency to establish that the applicant lives in the state; exceptions may apply. The handbook does not list which documents qualify and directs applicants to dmv.ca.gov/realid for the current list. Common residency documents include a rental or lease agreement with signatures, a home utility or cell phone bill, a mortgage bill, a bank statement, a valid California vehicle registration, or a school or medical document, dated within the required window. The DMV's REAL ID residency-document list is the authoritative source.
- SSN proof requirements
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The applicant must provide a social security number, with exceptions that may apply (including undocumented residents applying under AB 60). The handbook does not list which SSN-proof documents are accepted; it directs applicants to dmv.ca.gov/realid for the current list. A social security card, a W-2 form, a 1099 form, or a pay stub bearing the full SSN are typical acceptable documents, but the DMV's live document checklist governs.
- Vision test required at issuance
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Yes. DMV tests every applicant's vision. Taking the vision test with corrective or contact lenses puts a corrective lenses restriction on the license. An applicant who does not pass is asked to have their eye doctor complete a Report of Vision Examination (DL 62) and return it to DMV.
Source: California Driver's Handbook (2025), Section 3: The Testing Process, p. 5 (Vision Test).
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