California Permit Documents Checklist (DMV)

Photo: Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

To get a California learner’s permit, you need a completed driver’s license application, one proof of identity, your Social Security number (if you are eligible for one), proof of California residency and, if you are under 18, a driver education certificate and your parents’ signatures. Whether you need one residency document or two depends on whether you choose a standard card or a REAL ID. This checklist follows the California DMV’s current document lists, as of November 2026.

Key facts

Age: 15 and a half to apply as a minor. At 18 or over, no driver ed or parent signature is needed.
Identity: one document, such as a US passport or certified US birth certificate.
Residency: one document for a standard (federal non-compliant) card; two different documents for a REAL ID.
Teens can use a parent’s residency documents with a birth certificate that shows the relationship.
Under 18: a Certificate of Completion or Enrollment of Driver Education, and parent or guardian signatures.
Fee: the $46 application fee (original Class C license, as of November 2026). It covers 12 months and three tries at each test.

The California permit checklist (under 18)

California Driver’s License or ID Card Application, completed online (eDL 44) before your visit, or on paper (DL 44).
Parent or guardian signature. If both parents or guardians have custody, both must sign. They can sign the online application electronically.
Proof of identity (one document: see below).
Social Security number, if you are eligible. The DMV verifies it with the Social Security Administration while you are in the office. You don’t need it if you are legally present but not eligible for a number.
Proof of California residency (one or two documents: see below). Not needed if you have already been issued a California ID card.
Driver education certificate: a Certificate of Completion of driver education, or proof of enrollment in an integrated driver education and training program, issued by your school. Took driver ed in another state? The DMV may accept form DL 33 completed by that school.
Name change document, if your current name is different from your identity document.
Payment for the application fee. See California license fees and test booking.

At the office you’ll also pass a vision exam, have your photo and thumbprint taken, and take the knowledge test. Knowledge tests aren’t given after 4:30 p.m., so book an earlier appointment.

Proof of identity: which documents work?

You need one. It must show your full name and date of birth.

REAL ID (bear and star card)	Also accepted for a standard card
Valid US passport or passport card (the DMV’s preferred document)	Military ID card or DD-214
Original or certified copy of a US birth certificate from a city, county or state vital statistics office (not “abbreviated” or “abstract” certificates)	Canadian birth certificate or valid Canadian passport
Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of US Citizenship	American Indian Card or Federal Proof of Indian Blood Degree
US Certificate of Birth Abroad or Consular Report of Birth Abroad	Refugee Travel Document or Permanent Resident Re-entry Permit
Valid Permanent Resident Card	Court order stating name, birth date and place of birth or legal presence
Foreign passport with valid US visa and approved I-94
Valid Employment Authorization Document (I-766)

These are highlights. The full lists are on the DMV’s REAL ID checklist and its Federal Non-Compliant DL/ID Card Documents List (DL 1144). If you can’t prove lawful presence, California also issues AB 60 licenses, which have their own document list. See licenses regardless of immigration status.

Proof of residency: one document or two?

	Standard (federal non-compliant)	REAL ID
How many	One	Two different documents
Copies	Photocopies, “informational copies” and computer printouts accepted	Printed documents
Name and address	First and last name; California mailing address matching your application	First and last name on both, with the same mailing address as your application

Accepted residency documents include:

Home utility bill or cell phone bill (the DMV’s preferred choice)
School document from a US school that includes your date of birth
Bank or credit card records
Insurance documents, including medical, dental, vision and vehicle
Medical documents
Rental or lease agreement signed by the owner and tenant
Mortgage bill, deed or property tax bill
Employment documents
US Postal Service change of address confirmation
Documents from a US government agency

No documents in your own name? Use your parent’s

If nothing has your own name on it, the DMV lets a minor use residency documents in a parent’s name by also bringing a tracing document, such as your birth certificate, that shows the relationship. Children in foster or group-home care can use agency forms SOC 154, SOC 154A or SOC 156. If the parent’s name has changed since your birth certificate (for example, through marriage), bring their name change document too.

Standard card or REAL ID: which should you pick?

A REAL ID is optional. You don’t need one to drive. It matters only if you want to use your card instead of a passport to board domestic flights or enter secure federal buildings. The TSA does not require travelers under 18 to show ID when flying with a companion within the US. If you already have the documents, applying for a REAL ID now saves a later trip. See REAL ID and your first US driver’s license.

Driver education: the one document teens forget

Under 17 and a half: you must bring the driver education certificate of completion, or proof you are enrolled in an integrated driver education and training program.
At 17 and a half or older: you can get a permit without driver education, but you still need driver education and training to get a license before 18.
Your permit isn’t valid for driving until you start driver training. Your instructor signs it to validate it.

Details: California driver education and driver training explained and what teens need for a California permit.

Applying at 18 or older

Bring the application, one identity document, your Social Security number and your residency documents. You don’t need driver education or a parent’s signature. See getting a California license at 18 or older.

Before you leave home

Application completed online, with both parents’ signatures if both have custody
Identity document is the original or a certified copy, not a photocopy
Residency: one document (standard) or two different ones (REAL ID), plus your birth certificate if they are in a parent’s name
Driver education certificate (under 17 and a half)
Glasses or contacts if you need them for the vision exam
Appointment before 4:30 p.m. testing cutoff
You’ve studied: California knowledge test and California permit practice test

Common questions

Do I need my Social Security card for a California permit?

You need to provide the number, if you are eligible for one. The DMV verifies it with the Social Security Administration during your visit. Ask the DMV whether to bring the card.

Can I use a photocopy of my birth certificate?

No. Identity documents must be an original or certified copy. Photocopies are accepted only for residency documents on a standard card.

Can I use my school ID or report card?

A school document from a US school that includes your date of birth counts as a residency document. It is not on the identity list.

Do both parents have to sign?

If both parents or guardians have custody, yes. They can sign the online application electronically.

What if my name on the bills doesn’t match my birth certificate?

Bring a document that links the names, such as a marriage certificate, adoption document or court name change order.

How long is the application good for?

12 months. If you haven’t met all the requirements by then, you reapply and pay again.

Related guides

Sources

California DMV, “Learner’s Permits” (dmv.ca.gov)
California DMV, “REAL ID Checklist” and “What Is REAL ID?” (dmv.ca.gov)
California DMV, “Federal Non-Compliant DL/ID Card Documents List (DL 1144, Rev. 11/2025)” (dmv.ca.gov)
California DMV, “Fast Facts 19: Provisional Licensing (FFDL 19)” (dmv.ca.gov)
California DMV, “Driver’s Licenses” and “Licensing Fees” (dmv.ca.gov)

California Permit Documents Checklist: What to Bring to the DMV