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myBMV > Driver's Licenses > SecureID Driver's License and ID Cards > SecureID Documents > Proving Your Identity Proving Your Identity

You need one document to prove your identity when you apply for a new driver’s license, permit, or identification card.

Customers with questions about collecting their documents can call the BMV toll-free at 888-692-6841 and speak with a customer service representative for help or visit any Indiana license branch for assistance.

The most common documents that you can use to prove your identity include:

  • United States birth certificate. Must be an original or certified copy filed with a U.S. state or territory office of vital statistics or equivalent agency in your state of birth. Puerto Rican-born citizens must provide a birth certificate issued on or after July 1, 2010.
  • United States passport.
  • Foreign passport with a VISA and I-94 form.
  • Consular Report Of Birth Abroad.

If you do not have your birth certificate in your possession, you need to contact your state or county Department of Health office of the state of your birth and request an original or certified copy. Some states may take up to five months to process duplicate birth certificates.

All Documents Proving Identity

The full list of documents proving your identity includes:

  • United States birth certificate. Must be an original or certified copy filed with a U.S. state or territory office of vital statistics or equivalent agency in your state of birth. Puerto Rican-born citizens must provide a birth certificate issued on or after July 1, 2010.
  • Amended birth certificate showing a change of legal name, date of birth, or gender. The amended birth certificate must have been filed with a state office of vital statistics in your state of birth.
  • United States passport.
  • Foreign passport with a United States visa affixed and accompanied by an approved I-94 form documenting your most recent admittance into, or current status in, the United States.
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by Department of State (Form FS-240, Form DS-1350, or Form FS-545).
  • Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or Form N-570).
  • Certificate of Citizenship (Form N-560 or Form N-561).
  • Permanent Resident Card issued by Department of Homeland Security or Citizenship and Immigration Services (Form I-551).
  • Employment Authorization Document issued by Department of Homeland Security (Form I-766).
  • Other documents issued by a United States federal agency to show identity and lawful status. The BMV must be able to verify through the Department of Homeland Security that the information in the document is accurate.

Proving A Change In Name, Date Of Birth, Or Gender

If your current legal name is different from the name on your birth certificate or lawful status document, you must show legal proof of the name change (showing a link to all name changes). Acceptable documents supporting a change include:

  • Marriage license.
  • Divorce decree.
  • Court order approving a change of legal name or date of birth.
  • Amended birth certificate showing a change of gender.
  • Physician’s signed and dated statement that "(your name) successfully underwent all treatment necessary to permanently change (your name)'s gender from (previous gender)  to (new gender)."

Submitting Acceptable Documents

The BMV will only accept original documents or certified copies from the issuing agency. The BMV may refuse any document that appears fraudulent, unreliable, altered, or expired. All documents must be in English or be presented with a verifiably accurate English translation.

Your legal name and date of birth on documents presented to the BMV must match Social Security Administration records.  Please wait at least 24 hours after updating your information with the Social Security Administration before bringing your documents to a BMV branch.

What If I Still Have Questions?

Learn more about SecureID and receiving credentials through the mail by reading our frequently asked questions.

If you have questions, you can contact the BMV Contact Center toll-free at 888-692-6841 and speak with a customer service representative for help or visit any Indiana license branch for assistance. For all document categories, the BMV has the ability to grant exceptions if certain items, such as a birth certificate, are not available to you.