• An original or certified copy of a United States-issued birth certificate (U.S. Department of State and U.S. Military birth certificates ARE acceptable, hospital birth certificates and Bureau of Census records are NOT acceptable)
• To obtain a birth certificate, if you were born in West Virginia, contact the Office of Vital Statistics or the County Clerk at the courthouse of the county in which you were born. If you were born in another state, the National Center for Health Statistics has information on how to obtain a birth certificate.
• Valid, unexpired U.S. Passport or official U.S. Passport card
• If foreign born, valid, unexpired Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document(s) or acceptable alternatives as outlined below:
• Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) issued by DHS (or INS)
• Employment authorization document (EAD) issued by DHS, Form I-766 or Form I-688B
• Certificate of Naturalization issued by DHS, Form N-550 or Form N-570
• Certificate of Citizenship, Form N-560 or Form N-561, issued by DHS
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) issued by the U.S. Department of State, Form FS-240, DS-1350 or FS-545
• Foreign passport with a valid, unexpired U.S. visa affixed accompanied by the approved I-94 form documenting the applicant’s most recent admittance into the United States

• Social Security card
• Original Wage and Tax Statement (W-2) or payroll stub with the applicant’s employer name and employer ID number, as well as the applicant’s name, address, and Social Security number (a photocopy of a W-2 is not acceptable) (You may use the same W-2 as one proof of WV residency, provided it is not more than 18 months old)

• 1099 form with applicant’s full Social Security number and name

  Please make sure your Social Security records reflect your full legal name, as reflected on your other documents. DMV must be able to establish a name connection between documents, therefore your full legal name must match your name on file with the Social Security Administration. If an applicant is not eligible for a social security number, then the applicant must submit a denial letter from the Social Security Administration. The Division checks every social security number with the SSA. If you have a problem with the SSA, such as name or date of birth does not match with records of the DMV, and SSA then you must have the problem corrected before you can be issued a permit, license, or identification card. Your documents will be scanned and returned to you, which will provide DMV with a historical record, and provide you with additional protection, per the Federal Real ID Act of 2005. Please visit the Social Security Administration website for information about obtaining a Social Security number.

DMV must be able to establish a link between any legal name changes. Please Call 1-800-642-9066 to clarify which proof of name change document(s) you will need to bring in to obtain your license or ID card.

You may be required to provide all or some of the following proof below.

• Certified marriage certificate (for each marriage if married more than once, Souvenir documents or Minister’s copies are not acceptable)
  (If you need to obtain one, contact the county courthouse in the county and state in which you were married (click here for a WV directory)); or
• Original or certified copy of a birth certificate with amended legal name
• To obtain a birth certificate, if you were born in West Virginia, contact the Office of Vital Statistics. If you were born in another state, the National Center for Health Statistics has information on how to obtain a birth certificate.
• Court Order with legal name/name change
• Certified divorce decree(s) with legal name/name change
• If you are age 50 or over, have satisfied all other documentation requirements, hold a current WV driver’s license or ID card in the name being verified, and have gone through at least one WV license renewal cycle, a signed statement may be submitted in lieu of the name change document such as the marriage certificate or divorce decree

1. You may use two documents from LIST B or one from LIST B and one from LIST C.
2. Documents with a PO Box are not acceptable.
3. Any recurring document cannot be more than 60 days old (such as a utility bill or bank statement).
4. A termination notice from a utility company cannot be used as a proof of residency document.
5. You may not use more than one proof of WV residency document issued by the same company.
6. Married applicants may provide residency documents from LIST B or LIST C in their spouse's name when accompanied with a Certified Marriage Certificate.

LIST ONE (B)

• WV utility bills (not more than 60 days old, cannot be a termination notice, and cannot be two bills issued by the same company)
• Tax records with a WV street address
• WV mortgage documents, WV homeowner insurance documents for a WV residence, or proof of WV home ownership
• WV W-2 form that is not more than 18 months old (you may use the same W-2 as your proof of Social Security number)
• WV Weapons Permit
• A valid WV vehicle registration card
• WV Voter’s Registration card
• Driver’s Eligibility Certificate (required for all applicants who are under the age of 18 that do not present a diploma or other certificate of graduation issued by a secondary high school when applying, can only be used as proof of residency if it has a WV street address)
• WV Homestead Tax exemption
• Proof of WV public assistance
• Residential rental or lease agreement
• WV DMV Affidavit of West Virginia Residency

LIST TWO (C)

• College admissions letter that shows the applicant is an in-state resident
• Letter from a WV homeless shelter, hotel, senior citizen's home, rehabilitation center, nursing home, children’s home, orphanage, shelter, battered women’s shelter, or Job Corps, including the facility’s physical address, that explains that the applicant is a resident at their facility (letterhead is preferred, but not required)
• Pay check stub from any WV employer that shows a current physical address (cannot be hand written)
• Social Security benefits letter
• WV Professional License
• United States Selective Service card
• WV Dealer temporary registration card
• Letter from the applicant’s employer stating that all utility and house arrangements are provided by the employer
• Letter from the US Post Office that shows a new, physical, WV address assigned by the Post
• Office for the applicant
• WV bank statement
• WV auto insurance card
• WV hunting license
• License plate or Driver’s License Renewal form
• 911 letter

Click here to open a copy of the brochure on the new driver's license and ID card requirements.

The license or identification card holder shall substantiate a change of name by marriage with a certified marriage certificate. The license or identification card holder may choose from the following options to display his or her name on the drivers license, However, a court order specifying a change of name supersedes a birth and certified marriage certificate.

• Last name, first name then middle name as evidence by the applicants certified birth certificate
• Last name of spouse, as evidence by the applicants certified marriage certificate then the first name and middle name as evidenced by the applicants birth certificate
• Last name as evidence by the applicants marriage license, first name, then maiden name as evidence by the applicants birth certificate to stand in place of the middle name.
• Any Change in the birth date requires a certified birth certificate.
• Any change or correction of the social security number requires a social security card (non-metal & not a printout from SSA.)
• Any change of gender requires the submission of the Gender Designation Form, which must be fully and accurately completed, and signed by a licensed physician.