These stand alone documents are types of ID that are considered valid enough so that you only need to bring in one for your testing! As per Department of Licensing regulations, stand alone documents must include:

  • Name

  • Date of Birth

  • Identifying Photo and/or Signature

Identification

Here’s a list of Department of Licensing preferred stand alone documents!

  • A valid or recently expired Washington (WA) State driver license, WA ID card, or WA instruction permit with photo

  • A valid or recently expired U.S. Out of state driver license, ID card, or instruction permit

  • A valid or recently expired U.S armed services ID card with photo

  • A valid or recently expired U.S or foreign passport (Passports issued as a minor may be insufficient to identify an applicant)

  • Other federal or state documents issued by the U.S. government that have either a signature or photo, including original tribal ID with photo, residency card, U.S. agency cards, and U.S. county or U.S. state police identification. Documents in this category may be recently expired

Primary Documents

Keep in mind, at the Department of Licensing, they also require ID, and their list of acceptable ID is slightly different! Check HERE to see what they accept!

A punched or expired instruction permit may still be used to identify the applicant as long as the photo is not too old to be used for identification (i.e., able to recognize the individual).

No copies! We’re required to have original documents, not copies or photos!

RCW 46.20.035 grants a parent or guardian authority to identify their minor child, but let’s make sure you understand the process!

  • Name

  • Date of Birth

  • Identifying Photo and/or Signature

If you don’t have a preferred stand alone document, here’s a list of other acceptable stand alone documents!

  • A recent enough to identify and recognizable as an authentic U.S. high school (i.e. ASB card) or college ID card with photo in conjunction with a date of birth document such as a birth certificate

  • U.S. school yearbook photo (recent enough to identify the individual), verifying the date of birth with an additional document (e.g., birth certificate or WA Non-photo permit card)

  • El Salvador Identification card (Documento Unico de Identidad)

  • Guatemala Consulate ID card (Identificación Consular)

  • Guatemala Identification card (Documento Personal de Identificación)

  • Honduras Consulate ID card (Matricula Consular – Consular ID)

  • Honduras Identification card (Tarjeta de Identidad)

  • Mexico Consular ID card (Matricula Consular)

  • Mexico Federal Electoral card (Credencial Para Votar)

  • Peru National Identification card (Documento Nacional de Identidad)

  • Tribal enrollment ID card that is federally recognized Indian tribe that has both a signature and photo

  • Japan driver’s license

  • Other foreign driver’s licenses if they are recognized as authentic

These documents shouldn’t have all 3 required items, so you’ll need to bring at least two of these to identify your:

  • Name

  • Date of Birth

  • Identifying Photo and/or Signature

Here’s a list of secondary documents that you can mix and match to show your name, date of birth, and photo/signature!

  • An original or certified birth certificate

  • Social Security Card

  • Clearance letter or driving record from another state's DMV

  • Divorce decree, certified by the issuing government authority

  • Government employee ID card (state of federal), with signature and photo

  • Marriage license/certificate, certified by the issuing government authority

  • Medicare card (not a DSHS medical card)

  • Police employee ID card issued by Washington city or county

  • Professional license (e.g., nurse, physician, engineer, etc.)

  • School record from Mexico with seal and picture of individual at age of issue

  • School transcript, or Forms I-20 or DS-2019 for foreign exchange students

  • Selective Service card

  • Transportation Worker Identification Credential

  • Veteran Administration Identification, with photo

Secondary Documents

Parents and guardians! You have the authority to identify your child if they are under 18, but you’ll have to accompany your child, and you’re still going to need to bring in the right documents for both you and your child!

If you have the same legal last name as your child, OR if your last name is different than your child’s but your first name and middle name/middle initial is the still the same as listed on your child’s birth certificate, bring in:

  • A Primary Document (usually Washington License or ID) of you, the parent

  • Birth Certificate of your child

If you’re a step parent, you must also bring in:

  • Proof of guardianship

Parental id Option