What Documents Do I Need for a New York State ID Card?

At least two documents are required for a state ID card.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles issues New York State non-driver photo identification cards. Anyone who applies for this card must forfeit his New York State driver's license, although the non-driver's ID card does not have to be surrendered upon the delivery of a driver's license. Non-driver's ID cards contain the same information as driver's licenses and have the same format. The DMV works on a points system for proof of identity. To receive a non-driver's identification card, the DMV requires one form of proof of date of birth, a Social Security card and four "points" worth of proof of identity. People who are ineligible for a Social Security card must provide six points of identification documents and a letter from the Social Security Administration explaining why they are ineligible.

Date of Birth Requirement

The DMV requires one document for the date of birth proof requirement. This can be an American or Canadian birth certificate, foreign or American passport, military ID, certificate of citizenship or naturalization, or green card. Specialized immigration documents, such as reentry permits or refugee travel documents, also qualify.

One-Point Documents

Some documents qualify as only one point for proving identity, meaning that four of them (or some other combination of documents amounting to three more points) are required to obtain an ID card. These include student diplomas, bank statements, health insurance cards, Social Security documents, utility bills and life insurance policies. The name on all the documents must be the same.

Two-Point Documents

Documents worth two points on the DMV's scale include most student transcripts and identification cards, military cards, Canadian ID cards or identification, gun licenses, vehicle registration cards and licenses from other states.

Three-Point Documents

Three-point documents include most identity documents issued by the federal government. These include foreign passports, military ID cards, most immigration documents and green cards.

Four-Point Documents

Applicants presenting documents in this category need present only one identity document. These documents include American passports, current driver's licenses, and DMV-issued statements of identity.

References

• New York State DMV: Proofs of Identity