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What are the specific requirements for obtaining a Texas ID or driver's license?

Written by Bo

The specific requirements for obtaining a Texas driver's license include:

  1. Proof of Identity: You must provide a valid proof of identity. This could be a birth certificate, passport, or other forms of identification approved by the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS).

  2. Proof of Social Security Number (SSN): Applicants need to show their Social Security card or acceptable documentation verifying their SSN (e.g., recent 1099 or W2 form). The office allows an applicant to provide their SSN from memory by signing a waiver instead of presenting an SSN document. If you are concerned, you can call your nearest Texas DPS office and ask directly.

  3. Proof of Texas Residency: You are required to present two different documents that prove your residential address in Texas. One of these documents must be dated at least 30 days before your appointment — however, this 30-day requirement is waived if you are surrendering a valid, unexpired driver's license or ID from another state, or applying for a commercial driver's license. Most of our customers surrender an out-of-state license, so the 30-day requirement typically does not apply. Two Proofs of Residential Address: You must bring two items with you from this list. Typically, the most convenient items are a cell phone bill, pay stub, or bank statement (dated within the last 60 days). The address on this document should match your residential address as listed on your Address Tab. This item does not need to be an actual piece of mail but it should be printed. You can even use a prepaid cell phone plan. An example receipt (from US Mobile) is shown below.

    NOTE: while a US Mobile* receipt is generally accepted as a valid second proof of address, occasionally it has been refused (less than 1% of the time) for including the word "invoice" on the document. This is up to the discretion of the specific DPS employee assigned to you during your appointment. Alternatively, if you prefer a financial statement but are unable to wait until the next cycle to generate one displaying your residential address, most banks (especially local branches in Aransas county) are generally willing to print you a statement of balances on demand that displays your full name and residential address.

  4. Payment of the Required Fee: There is a small fee for obtaining a Texas driver's license, which must be paid at the time of application. You can review the current driver's license fees here: https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/driver-license-fees

We also recommend you read our article: How to Obtain a Texas Driver's Licence as a Digital Nomad.

Process for Selecting a Texas DPS Office

You can visit your nearest Texas DPS office. To find the location closest to you, use the DPS office locator: https://www.dps.texas.gov/apps/DriverLicense/OfficeLocations/DLOfficeLocations/SearchResults. The closest example is the Texas DPS – Aransas Pass, 919 S Commercial St, Aransas Pass, TX 78336, (361) 758-8680 · Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm. You can book an appointment here: https://www.txdpsscheduler.com/.


*Example item for Second Proof of Address (please see note above regarding using a US Mobile receipt as a proof of address):

US Mobile (1).png
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