DMV Requirements

Proof of Residency
For the first time issuance of a North Carolina Identification card, learner permit or driver license, proof of residency is required which must include name and current North Carolina residence address. This is in addition to proof of age and identity requirements. (1) Documents issued by the US government or by the government of another nation, such as: Military orders; Valid Passport; Immigration and Naturalization Service documents; Correspondence from Veterans Administration; Matricula Consular issued by the Mexican Consulate for North Carolina; and Correspondence from Social Security Administration (2) Documents issued by the State of North Carolina or its political subdivisions (county, city) another state, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a U.S. territory, such as: Valid North Carolina vehicle registration; Correspondence or a service card from Social Services; Property tax statement; Library card; and North Carolina voter registration card. (3) A preprinted bank or other corporate statement (Example: bank statement) (4) A preprinted business letterhead (5) Documents deemed reliable by the division such as: Apartment lease, housing contract, mortgage statement; Utility bill (power bill, cable bill, water bill, etc.) or contract for utility services; School records signed by school official, including driver education services; Computer-generated tax record; Current life, health, property or automobile insurance policy or binder; Letter from homeless shelter; Document from Social Services; and Computer-generated check stub.
Proof of Age and Identity
Individuals who are 18 years of age or older can apply for any type of North Carolina driver license and/or motorcycle endorsement. There may be additional requirements for individuals applying for a CDL. *The DMV requires proof of your full name.* To prove your name and age, you may present a valid or expired North Carolina driver license, learner permit or identification card. If you do not have any of these, you must present two documents from the following list. The name must be the same on both documents and at least one must reflect the date of birth. When you successfully receive a North Carolina driver license, you will have to surrender any driver license you have that was issued by another state. For an applicant under 18 years of age, the application for a learner permit or driver license must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.
The documents cannot come from the same category (e.g. two school documents).
Form of ID Accepted	Explanation
Driver license or state-issued identification card from another state, Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory or a Canadian province	A valid, unexpired license/ID card or learner permit with a photo meets the requirements for one form of id. A driver license, learner permit or ID card with photo which has been expired less than one year may be used as one form of identification. A valid, unexpired driver license, learner permit or ID card without a photo can be used as one form of identification.
Certified birth certificate issued by a government agency in the U.S., Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory or Canada, or U.S. Report of Consular Birth Abroad	No photocopies allowed, unless certified by issuing agency.
Original Social Security Card
Official North Carolina school registration records signed by a school official and diplomas or GED issued by NC schools, including secondary schools, community colleges, colleges and universities	Driver Education Certificates, Driving Eligibility Certificates and report cards are not accepted as proof of identification. They are acceptable for proof of residency.
Unexpired U.S. military identification, including DD-2, DD-124, Common Access Card, and U.S. Military Dependents Card
Valid, unexpired pasaport from any nation	If from a nation other than United States, the passport must include an unexpired INS stamp, such as the I-94 or I-551. A passport with a valid INS or BIS stamp counts as two documents, since the passport is issued by the country of origin and the immigration stamp is issued by the U.S.
Certified marriage certificate from a Register of Deeds or appropriate government agency in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. territories or Canada
Limited Driving Privilege issued by North Carolina	Cannot be expired more than one year.
Valid, unexpired documents issued by the U.S. government	An expired immigration document may be valid if accompanied by a letter from US INS extending the expiration date (e.g. I-797) Primary INS document must have applicant's photo.
Court documents from U.S. jurisdiction, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories or Canada	Divorce decree. Court order for change of name or gender Adoption papers. Certified Court order for child support.
U.S. Veterans Universal Card
Social Security Number Requirement
When submitting an application for an original identification card, learner permit or driver license, it is required that you provide the DMV with a valid Social Security card. If you are not eligible for a Social Security card, you must provide documentation issued by the U.S. government indicating legal presence. By law, the DMV may disclose a Social Security number only as follows: For the purpose of administering driver license laws; To the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Child Support Enforcement Program for the purpose of establishing paternity or child support or enforcing a child support order; To the N.C. Department of Revenue for the purpose of verifying taxpayer identity, and To the Office of Indigent Defense Services of the U.S. Judicial Department for the purpose of verifying the identity of a represented client and enforcing a court order to pay for the legal services rendered, and To each county jury commission for the purpose of verifying the identity of deceased persons whose names should be removed from jury lists. The Social Security number on an application will be kept confidential and will not be printed on your driver license, learner permit or identification card.
Financial Responsibility
The N.C. General Assembly has enacted legislation to require some (but not all) driver license applicants in North Carolina to submit proof of automobile liability insurance coverage in order to obtain a North Carolina driver license. Proof of liability insurance coverage applies to those: Applying for an original license, including transfers from out of state; Whose license are being restored after revocation or suspension; or Awarded a Limited Driving Privilege by the court. Certification of liability insurance coverage must be submitted on DMV Form DL-123, or an original liability insurance policy, binder or an insurance card and must come from an insurance company licensed to do business in North Carolina. These documents must show: Applicant's name; Effective date of policy; Expiration date; and Date the policy was issued. Form DL-123, binders and certificates are valid only for 30 days from the date of issuance. This does not apply to applicants who do not own currently registered motor vehicles and who do not operate nonfleet private passenger motor vehicles that are owned by other persons. In such cases it is required that a certification of exemption (DL-123A) be signed at the driver license office. The exemption restricts the driver to the operation of "Fleet Vehicles Only". To remove the restriction, the driver must pay a $10 fee and submit the DMV Form DL-123.