North Dakota Real ID www.dot.nd.gov
1. You will need to provide proof of Legal Presence, Citizenship, or Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S. Please
select ONE document from the list below:
☐U.S. Birth Certificate (State certified; Government issued)
☐U.S. Territory Birth Certificate
☐Valid, Unexpired U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card
☐Report of Birth Abroad issued by the U.S. Department of State
☐Certificate of Naturalization
☐Certificate of Citizenship
☐Valid, Unexpired Permanent Resident Card
☐Valid, Unexpired Employment Authorization Card
☐Valid, Unexpired Foreign Passport with I-94
☐I-94 Card Stamped Refugee or Asylee
2. If your current name is different from the name on your identity document (above), you will need to bring additional
proof of your legal name. Acceptable documents for proof of name change are:
☐Certified, Government Issued Marriage Certificate
☐Certified Adoption Document
☐Certified Court Order Authorizing a Name Change (no photocopies, court seal required).
3. You must provide proof of your social security number. All documents must contain your name and full social
security number. Please select ONE document from the list below:
☐Social Security Card
☐W-2 Form
☐SSA 1099 Form
☐Non-SSA 1099 Form
☐Pay Stub
4. You must provide proof of North Dakota current residence address. All documents must contain your name,
physical residence address, and be the most current document. Post Office boxes are not acceptable. Please choose
TWO documents from the list below: NOTE: Parent can provide proof of residency for minor child (under 18).
☐Most current government issued property tax statement
☐Current mortgage/lease/rental document
☐Current homeowners/renter’s insurance policy
☐Current utility bill (electricity, gas, water, sewer, cable, recycle)
☐School/College Transcript issued within 6 months
☐Current financial statement (issued by financial institution, government entity, government regulated entity)
☐Current pay stub or statement from employer
☐Current vehicle insurance policy/statement
☐Current resident certificate or Tribal ID issued by a North Dakota Tribe with a North Dakota resident address
☐Current formal resident statement issued by property owner/renter
☐Current Relief Agency or Shelter Certification
PLEASE NOTE: Photocopies and hospital certificates are not acceptable; all
documents must be original. All government issued legal presence and name change
documents must be original and certified. No digital Real ID documents are
accepted. All documents are required to be in print form in order to obtain a Real ID.
REAL ID Information
What is REAL ID?
Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the Federal
Government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses.” The state legislature
passed, and Governor Burgum signed the final implementation bill for REAL ID during the 65th Legislative Session in
2017.
What does REAL ID do?
REAL ID implements security processes designed to reduce identity fraud and provide the highest certainty that the
individual with the identity document in front of you is who he or she says he or she is. Documents scanned will verify
birthplace, current residence, etc.
It prohibits Federal agencies from accepting driver licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet
requirements for official purposes such as: boarding an airplane or obtaining access to a federal building.
What does REAL ID not do?
It does not create a federal database or federally controlled or issued identification document. The U.S. Passport does
that.
It does not replace a passport used for international travel such as visiting Canada or other countries.
It does not include an RFID chip in it. The Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) does have the chip in it which provides
information to a federal database. North Dakota does not offer Enhanced Driver Licenses.
When do I need to have a REAL ID driver license?
Your present license remains valid until its expired date, as North Dakota has received a waiver from the US Department
of Homeland Security. This means your current ND driver license and identification card is accepted for access into
federal facilities, including military installations and boarding aircraft until May 7, 2025.
What does a REAL ID Driver License do?
It allows a North Dakota resident to use their driver license as a form of identification to complete domestic airline travel
and access a federal facility such as a federal courthouse or airbase after May 7, 2025.
What happens to the information collected?
Unlike a passport, the REAL ID information is scanned and retained in the state driver license system. It is state data, so
it is kept in-state only. The federal REAL ID Act of 2005 has no requirement for this data to be shared with anyone. We
do not share personal private information except as provided in NDCC 39-33.
The bill approved by the legislature in 2017 makes these documents “not part of the public record,” so the security of
the data is enhanced and unobtainable for non-official purposes.
What does the Opt-In feature mean?
The Opt-In Opt-Out feature enables you to have a choice on whether you want to get a REAL ID driver license or not.
If you choose to Opt-In, you will be able to use your driver license as a form of identification to complete domestic
airline travel and access a federal facility.
The Opt-Out feature also lets you choose to Opt-Out of the REAL ID process and not obtain a REAL ID driver license. This
means you will see no change in how you currently renew your driver license, and you will not receive a REAL ID driver
license. Some people may choose to Opt-Out because they plan to use their passport for identification when traveling or
they don’t plan on doing any domestic airline travel or accessing of a federal facility.
January 2023
