FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW LAW REQUIRES PROOF OF LEGAL PRESENCE TO RECEIVE A MARYLAND DRIVER'S LICENSE OR ID CARD

Requirement Begins June 1, 2009

GLEN BURNIE, MD (April 16, 2009) --The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) announces that effective June 1, 2009, proof of legal presence in the United States is required before an individual can be granted a Maryland driver's license or identification card.  The requirement became law with the passage of House Bill 387 during the 2009 General Assembly.  Proof of legal presence is a condition required by the federal REAL ID Act of 2005.  Licenses and identification cards from states that are not in compliance will not be accepted by federal agencies for official purposes such as boarding airplanes and entering federal buildings. 

“The new requirement to demonstrate proof of legal presence in the U.S. is intended to increase the security of state issued forms of identification,” said MVA Administrator John Kuo.  “This measure will strengthen and protect the integrity of the Maryland driver's license and identification card and dramatically reduce the potential for fraud.”

Effective June 1, 2009, all new applicants for a Maryland driver’s license or identification card will be required to provide a verifiable social security number (SSN) and demonstrate proof of lawful presence in the United States, in addition to the residency and identity requirements.  Acceptable documents to provide a SSN include:

• Your social security card (not a copy, the actual card itself)
  OR:
• A current W-2 form
• A current SSA-1099 form
• A current non-SSA 1099 form
• A current pay stub with the applicant's name and social security number on it

In addition, to demonstrate lawful presence, the MVA also will accept any of the following documents:

• A valid un-expired U.S. passport
• A certified copy of a birth certificate filed with a State Office of Vital Statistics or equivalent agency in the individual’s state of birth
• A consular report of birth abroad (CRBA) issued by the U.S. Department of State, form FS-240, DL-1350 or FS-545
• A valid, un-expired permanent resident card (form I-551) issued by the DHS or INS
• A certificate of naturalization issued by the DHS, form N-550 or form N-570
• A certificate of citizenship, form N-560 or form N-561, issued by DHS
• Other documents may be added based on federal law

Under the provisions of House Bill 387, those individuals that currently hold a valid Maryland driver’s license or identification card but cannot provide proof that they are in the United States legally will be allowed to renew their license or identification card until June 30, 2015.  Any renewal on, or after, July 1, 2015, will require proof of legal presence with acceptable documentation.

For those individuals seeking a Maryland driver’s license or identification card who have already scheduled an out-of-country appointment with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, appointments will be honored through May 30, 2009. 

Additional information and answers to frequently asked questions about the proof of lawful presence requirement can be found on the MVA website at the following link: www.mva.maryland.gov/Driver-Services/Apply/LawfulPresence/lawfulfaq.htm.

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