With the new year just around the corner, many people are making sure they're up to date with their driver's license and ID cards, as some residents are preparing for a necessary renewal.
It feels like everyone has had the frustrating experience of arriving at a Secretary of State's office to either obtain or renew their driver's license and being told they're missing one of seemingly dozens of documents needed.
Identification documents accepted by the Illinois Secretary of State's office are separated into four categories:
- Group A: Written signature
- Group B: Date of birth
- Group C: Social Security number
- Group D: Residency
Individuals hoping to renew their standard driver's license or state ID card will need to bring one document that satisfies Group A, while also requiring a document that satisfies Group D if requesting an address change.
Individuals hoping to receive a REAL ID driver's license or state ID card, which will required to board domestic flights starting in May 2025, must bring one document for Group A and two documents for Group D if requesting an address change.
Documents from Groups B and C are only required for individuals applying for a driver's license or state ID card in Illinois for the first time, in which one document from each of the four groups is required for a standard driver's license or state ID card.
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First-time applicants aiming to receive a REAL ID driver's license or state ID card must bring one document from Groups A, B and C and two documents from Group D.
Below is a look at the documents that satisfy each of the group's requirements:
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Group A (written signature)
- Canceled check within 90 days of application
- Cooperative Driver Testing Program Certificate
- Court Order
- Credit Card/Debit Card (American Express, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa)
- Current driver's license/ID card from other U.S. state
- Illinois driver's license/ID card current or expired less than one year
- Medicare card
- Mortgage or installment loan documents
- Passport (Valid foreign or U.S.)
- Social Security card
- Temporary driver's license/ID card
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services forms (I-551, I-766, I-94 with valid passport)
- U.S. Military driver's license/ID card
- U.S. Military service record
Group B (date of birth)
- Adoption records
- Birth certificate
- Citizenship certificate
- Court order (change of birth date)
- Certified grade/high school/college transcript
- Consular report of birth abroad
- Illinois driver's license or ID card
- Naturalization certificate (N550/N570)
- REAL ID driver's license or ID card
- Social Security Award Letter
- USCIS forms - I-551, I-571, I-766, I-797A, I-94
- U.S. Military driver's license/ID card
- U.S. Military service record
- U.S. Passport or Passport Card
- U.S. Visa
Group C (Social Security number)
- Illinois driver's license record
- Illinois ID card record
- Non-SSA-1099 form
- Paystub or printed electronic deposit with name and SSN
- Social Security Award Letter
- Social Security Card
- SSA-1099 form
- U.S. Military driver's license/ID card
- U.S. Military service record
- W-2
Group D (residency)
- Official electronic statement (within 90 days of application)
- Bank statement (within 90 days of application)
- Canceled check (within 90 days of application)
- Certified grade/high school/college transcript
- Credit card statement (within 90 days of application)
- Credit report (within 12 months of application)
- Deed/title, mortgage, rental/lease agreement
- Insurance policy (homeowner's or rental)
- Letter on official School Letterhead (within 90 days of application)
- Medical claim or statement of benefits (within 90 days of application)
- Official mail from a government agency
- Paystub or electronic deposit receipt
- Pension or retirement statement
- Phone Book, produced by a phone book publisher
- Report Card from grade/high school or college/university
- Tuition invoice or official mail from college/university (within 12 months of application)
- Utility bill (within 90 days of application)
List of unacceptable documents
- Bond receipt or bail/bond card
- Business card
- Check cashing card
- Club/fraternal membership card
- College or University ID card
- Commercially produced ID card
- Department of Human Services card or documents
- Fishing license
- Healthcare and Family Services card
- Handwritten ID/employment card
- Hunting license
- Illinois concealed carry card
- Illinois FOID card
- Instruction permit/receipt
- Insurance card
- International driving permit
- Library card
- Personal mail
- Traffic citation
- Unlicensed financial institution loan papers
- Vehicle registration
- Video Club membership card
- Wallet ID
More information on requirements can be found here.