2.3 Identification Requirements, Social Security Rules & Appeals

Students are often turned away at the service center because a document is missing, laminated or a photocopy. Knowing the identification rules helps you prepare students and parents, and the PDI exam can test the document counts directly.

Why the Rules Differ by Card Type

The federal REAL ID Act of 2005 sets minimum standards that states must meet before a license or ID can be used for federal purposes. Massachusetts therefore has two document sets. The current list lives at Mass.Gov/ID, and the Manual warns that requirements "are subject to change at any time."

The Standard card's three SSN options

1. An SSN that validates electronically with the Social Security Administration.
2. An SSN Denial Notice together with a non-U.S. passport, visa and I-94.
3. A No Social Security Number Affidavit, allowed only for certain customers presenting specific document types, and only for a Standard driver's license. It cannot be used for a Massachusetts ID card.

Document Quality Rules

• Documents must come from the RMV's Acceptable Identification Document list and be satisfactory to the RMV.
• Originals only unless the RMV says otherwise. Photocopies are not accepted, and laminated documents are not acceptable.
• You may need to present identification for each type of document you apply for, even if you already hold a Massachusetts permit, license or ID.
• If a visa comes with additional forms (such as F1/F2 or M1/M2, which require an I-20), those forms must be submitted too.
• Starting the application online at Mass.Gov/RMV saves time at the service center.

Who cannot get a Massachusetts license

Foreign diplomats and other foreign government officials, their families and their personal staff who hold a U.S. Department of State driver's license are not eligible for a Massachusetts license.

Documents with special rules

• Puerto Rican birth certificates are accepted for identification only if issued on or after July 1, 2010, under Puerto Rico's birth certificate law.
• Lawful presence affects REAL ID length. A REAL ID is issued only to applicants who prove at least 12 months of authorized stay, and it can be shorter than five years when that stay ends sooner (section 2.2).
• Converting a permit or license from one of the 14 U.S. territories, Canada or Mexico requires an original certified driving record no more than 30 days old, because those records are not available through PDPS. Foreign-language documents follow the RMV's translation policy at Mass.Gov/RMV.

Electronic Verification

The RMV checks most identity documents electronically against national and state databases, and most answers come back within seconds. Some need manual review. A delay does not mean the transaction is denied. These cases usually clear in three to five business days, and rarely take up to twenty days.

The Social Security Number Requirement

Every applicant for any permit, license or ID, including a replacement or renewal, must meet the SSN requirement. The RMV validates the number you give against SSA records.

• No SSN yet? You may apply for one through the SSA (1-800-772-1213 or SSA.Gov/ssnumber).
• Applied and denied? Present the written Denial Notice, no more than 60 days old, with:
  • proof of current visa status;
  • an I-94 Record of Arrival and Departure, either the paper form from U.S. Customs and Border Protection or a printout from CBP.Gov/i94;
  • your current non-U.S. passport.
• No SSN and cannot apply? Use the No SSN Affidavit for a Standard driver's license.

Appeals

If the RMV denies a permit, license or ID application, you may file an appeal within ten days after receiving the written denial.

• Time spent in an informal review does not extend the ten-day period.
• A formal appeal goes to the Board of Appeal on Motor Vehicle Liability Policies and Bonds, part of the Division of Insurance (One Federal Street, Suite 700, Boston), with a $50 check or money order.
• The appeal form is available through the Division of Insurance website.

Applying It as an Instructor