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Colorado’s SB 251 license is a standard (non-REAL ID) driver’s license, permit or ID card for Colorado residents who are not lawfully present in the US, or who are only temporarily lawfully present. It was created by the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act (CO-RCSA, Senate Bill 13-251), and the DMV now calls it a “Standard” credential. This guide covers who qualifies, what to bring, which tests you take and what the card can’t be used for, as of November 2026.
Key facts
- Who it’s for: non-lawfully present (undocumented) and temporarily lawfully present Colorado residents. US citizens, permanent residents and citizens of the Freely Associated States can only get a REAL ID in Colorado.
- Same driving rules: permits are available to non-lawfully present residents, and you go through the same permit, driver education, written test and drive test steps by age.
- Affidavit: Colorado law requires a signed CO-RCSA affidavit (form DR 2212) confirming your Colorado address.
- Fees (Standard credential, as of November 2026): driver license $36, instruction permit $23, ID card $14.
- Marked as limited: the card says it is not valid for federal identification, voting or public benefit purposes.
- Rules changed in 2025: Senate Bill 24-182 updated the issuing requirements from March 31, 2025. Many older guides are out of date.
Who can get a Colorado SB 251 (standard) license?
The Colorado DMV issues standard credentials to two groups:
- Non-lawfully present residents (undocumented)
- Temporarily lawfully present residents, for example people on certain visas. The DMV says these applicants can’t get a REAL ID in Colorado, even if a card from another state was REAL ID compliant.
Everyone else (US citizens, permanent residents, Freely Associated States citizens and most CDL applicants) gets a REAL ID instead. More on the difference: REAL ID and your first US driver’s license.
What to bring for a Colorado standard license
For non-lawfully present applicants, the DMV’s Standard Licenses and IDs page lists these categories. Bring originals or certified copies with an official seal.
| What you prove | What the DMV accepts |
|---|---|
| Identity and date of birth | A passport, consular card or military ID card from your home country, unexpired or expired for less than 10 years. Foreign driver’s licenses are not accepted as proof of identity |
| Colorado address | The signed CO-RCSA affidavit (DR 2212), which staff can give you at the appointment, plus one proof of Colorado address in your name, dated within the last year |
| Minors’ address | Applicants under 18 can use a parent’s or legal guardian’s proof of address |
| Name changes | Official documents linking any difference in names across your documents |
| Tax ID and tax filing | Not required by current law (C.R.S. 42-2-505) for undocumented applicants. The original program required an ITIN and proof of Colorado tax filing; SB 24-182 repealed those conditions from March 31, 2025. Temporarily lawfully present applicants follow a separate document list, so check the DMV’s Standard Licenses and IDs page for your route |
No backup documents for identity
The DMV says undocumented applicants are not currently eligible for exceptions processing (the route that lets some people use alternative documents) and to check back on January 1, 2027. If your passport or consular card is expired by more than 10 years, contact the DMV before booking.
Tests required for a Colorado SB 251 license
A standard license is a normal Colorado license with the same steps. What you take depends on your age and history:
- Never licensed, or license expired or cancelled for more than 12 months: you need a permit first, which means the written knowledge test. See the Colorado written permit test guide.
- Under 18: driver education by age (30-hour course or 4-hour awareness program), the permit held for 12 months or until 18, the 50-hour log and the Affidavit of Liability. See 30-hour driver ed vs the 4-hour course.
- 18 and over: see getting your first Colorado license as an adult.
- Moving from another country: the DMV says new residents who are not US citizens or permanent residents must apply for a standard credential and complete all permit and license requirements. Foreign license reciprocity is only for citizens and permanent residents.
Help with the written test
The DMV offers two accommodations: having the test read aloud by the testing station (bring plug-in headphones) or having it verbally translated into another language, with a translator you provide.
Step by step
- Book an appointment. The DMV requires one for permit issuance for all ages, and for standard credentials the program has its own appointment schedule.
- Gather documents from the table above. Under 21 with no government ID? Bring a parent or legal guardian to sign an Affidavit of Identity at the appointment.
- Pass the vision screening and written test (or bring proof you passed it at an approved testing location).
- Sign the DR 2212 affidavit and, if under 18, have an adult sign the DR 2460 Affidavit of Liability.
- Pay the fee: $23 for a standard permit, $36 for a standard license (as of November 2026). Retests cost $11.50 (written) and $15.40 (drive), plus any testing-site fee.
- Practice and take the drive test when you are eligible.
What a Colorado SB 251 license can’t be used for
- Federal identification: it is not a REAL ID, so it won’t get you through airport security or into secure federal buildings. Use your passport for flights.
- Voting: the card is marked as not valid for voting.
- Public benefits: the card is marked as not valid for public benefit purposes.
- Some other states may not honor it. Florida law, for example, treats licenses that another state issues only to people who can’t prove lawful presence as invalid. Check before driving outside Colorado. National overview: driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status.
Driving privileges inside Colorado are the same as any other license of that class.
Common questions
Do I still need an ITIN for a Colorado SB 251 license?
Not for the undocumented route, as far as current law shows. The ITIN and Colorado tax-return rules were part of the original program, and SB 24-182 repealed them from March 31, 2025. C.R.S. 42-2-505 now asks for a residency affidavit with proof of Colorado address and a home-country passport, consular card or military ID. Some older DMV pages still mention an ITIN, so if you are temporarily lawfully present or unsure which list applies, check the DMV’s Standard Licenses and IDs page and checklist DR 2300C.
Can a 15-year-old get a Colorado permit without lawful status?
Yes. The DMV says permits are available to non-lawfully present residents, with the same age and driver education rules as everyone else.
Does the DMV share my information with immigration authorities?
Read the DMV’s Standard Licenses and IDs page or ask at your appointment.
I’m on a visa. Will I get a REAL ID?
No. The DMV says temporarily lawfully present residents get a standard credential, even if their card from another state was REAL ID compliant.
How much does a Colorado standard license cost?
$36 for the license and $23 for an instruction permit, according to the DMV fee page (as of November 2026). Testing sites may charge their own fees.
Can I use my foreign driver’s license as ID?
No. The DMV does not accept foreign driver’s licenses as proof of identity for a standard credential.
Back to the full route: learning to drive in Colorado.
Sources
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Standard Licenses and IDs” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Adult Permit” and “Permits and First-Time Driver License” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “State DMV Fees” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Required Documents” and “Applicants who cannot demonstrate Lawful Presence” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado General Assembly, “SB24-182 Immigrant Identification Document Issuance” (leg.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Revised Statutes 2026, section 42-2-505 (Office of Legislative Legal Services)
- Florida Legislature, “Florida Statutes s. 322.033, Invalid out-of-state driver licenses” (leg.state.fl.us)