What Counts As Proof of Residency In Ohio?
You can use a pay stub or credit card statement as proof of residency in Ohio, but your passport won’t count.
Written by Sarah Williams
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Table of Contents
A motor vehicle title, bank statements, pay stubs, and credit reports can all be used as proof of residency in
Ohio
.Before the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles issues you a driver’s license, you have to prove your identity. That means providing specific documentation to show your full legal name, date of birth, legal presence in the U.S., Social Security number, and Ohio street address. Your proof of residency (or street address) requires two pieces of documentation—and it has to be from a pre-approved list.
What documents can be used as proof of residency in Ohio?
To apply for an Ohio driver’s license, you’ll need to provide the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles with five types of documents required to prove your identity:
- Full legal name (i.e., birth certificate, Social Security card, etc.)
- Date of birth (i.e., passport, military ID, etc.)
- Legal presence in the U.S. (i.e., certificate of citizenship, U.S. passport, etc.)
- Social Security number (i.e., Social Security card, Medicare card, etc.)
- Ohio street address (i.e., pay stub, credit card statement, etc.)
For your temporary instruction permit identification card (TIPIC), you only need to provide documentation for your full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number (if assigned). A compliant or probationary driver's license requires one piece of documentation from each of the five categories but two documents proving your Ohio street address. A standard license only requires one of each type of documentation (including your proof of residency).
These are the accepted forms of documentation you can use for your Ohio street address:
- United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Documents
- W-2 Wage and Tax Statement
- 1099 Form from the current or last tax year
- A certified copy of a court order
- A pay stub from the current or previous tax year
- An original or certified copy of your school record or transcript
- A signed letter from a college or university
- Military discharge separation papers
- Your child support statement or account summary from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
- Postcards or correspondence issued by the Ohio BMV
- A court order for parole, probation, or mandatory release
- A financial institution statement issued within the last 12 months
- Federal or Ohio income tax return filing from the current or past tax year (with proof that you filed)
- Current and valid renter, homeowner, life, or automobile insurance policy or card
- A valid and unexpired Ohio resident hunting or fishing license
- An installment loan contract from a bank
- A credit card statement from the last 12 months
- Your mortgage account statement from the previous 12 months
- Your Ohio motor vehicle title or registration
- A paycheck statement or stub from the last 12 months
- A professional license issued by a governmental agency
- An Ohio sales tax statement or business license
- Proof of homeownership, like a property deed, tax bill, or auditor tax statement
- Your selective service registration acknowledgment card
- A social security administration document
- A TSA letter
- A valid Ohio concealed weapons permit with a photograph
- A government-issued public assistance benefits statement issued within the last 12 months
- A valid Ohio driver’s license, learner’s permit, or identification card
- BMV 2336 “Proof of Ohio Residency - Certified Statement” signed in the presence of a BMV official
- An offender release identification card
Don’t forget you’ll need two of these forms of documentation for any license other than a Standard License (where you’ll need only one!). Make sure you bring original or certified copies that are recent and valid.
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What documents do not qualify as proof of Ohio residency?
While there is a long list of approved documentation to prove your Ohio residency, not every official document with your address can be used. Here are a few examples of documentation that won’t be accepted:
- Birth certificate
- Passport
- Military ID
- Social Security card
- Medicare card
- Certificate of naturalization
- Certificate of citizenship
- USCIS documents
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