, you will need to prove to the state’s Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) that you are a permanent Maryland resident. While photo identification is necessary to prove who you are, you’ll also need documentation to verify your address.

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What documents can be used as proof of residency in Maryland?

In order to obtain a Maryland driver’s license or

REAL ID

as a new resident, you will need to provide documentation that fulfills each of the following groups:

Group 1: Proof of name and identity (e.g. US birth certificate or US passport)

Group 2: Proof of Social Security (e.g. Social Security card, W-2, or paystub)

Group 3: Proof of Maryland residency (e.g. utility bills or bank statement)

As a new Maryland resident, you must apply within 60 days for a standard license, and within 30 days for a

commercial driver’s license

. Your out-of-state license must be currently valid or expired for less than one year—

suspended licenses

will not be considered.

If you are trying to exchange a license that has expired longer than one year ago, you will be required to pass a knowledge and skill test as well as a vision exam. If you do not have your license in your possession, a certified driving record from the licensing agency must be presented in its place.

To obtain your driver’s license or make it card Real ID complaint, the following documents can be be used to satisfy Group 3:

Vehicle registration

card

Bank statement

Insurance card

Utility bill

Lease or mortgage statement

Cable or phone bill

Mail from a federal, state, or local government agency

Credit card bill

Property tax bill

Voter registration card

Selective Service card

Any of the above documents can be used to prove residency in the state of Maryland when applying for a driver’s license. For a REAL ID card, you will need one document for Group 1 and Group 2, and two documents for Group 3.

Each of the documents must of course include your name and address, but also need to reflect a current or recent date.

What documents do not qualify as proof of Maryland residency?

Maryland allows a generous amount of eligible documentation to prove residency, but that doesn’t mean any document with your Maryland address can be used. To prevent bringing the wrong document and having to make a second trip to the MVA, avoid the following documents:

Business card

Bond receipts

Library card

Check cashing card

Personal mail

Club or fraternal organization membership card

College or university ID card

Unofficial ID card

Papers from an unlicensed financial institution

Department of Human Services (DHS) card

Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) card

Handwritten ID or employment card

Hunting license

Fishing license

Instruction permit or receipt

International driving permit

Traffic citation or arrest ticket

Store club membership card

Wallet ID

What qualifies as proof of identity in Maryland?

Maryland law states that you must prove your age and identity in order to move forward with obtaining your license or REAL ID. There are different documents eligible for different demographics, so check out which documentation you can bring below:

Age 18-65: US birth certificate, US passport (valid or expired less than five years), Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Permanent Resident Card, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, employment authorization documents, foreign passport with current valid USCIS documentation, US or MD birth certificate for adopted individuals, US Adoption records with full name and date of birth

Age 65 and older: All of the documentation listed above, a military discharge document, Social Security Administration Benefits Summary and name and birth date

Immigrants without USCIS documentation: Valid foreign passport, or an unexpired consular ID, foreign birth certificate, national ID card or national voter card, state license, state ID card, Foreign driver’s license, US military ID card, military dependent ID card, 1-766 employment authorization card, certified school record (not more than 12 months old)

MORE:

How to get a Maryland handicap placard (and who’s eligible)

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