What documents should lawful permanent residents always carry to comply with federal requirements?

1. The single most important document: Form I-551 (Permanent Resident Card)

Federal guidance and multiple agency pages identify the Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) as the standard, primary evidence of lawful permanent resident status for most federal and administrative purposes, and it is repeatedly listed as the List A document that establishes both identity and work authorization for I-9 purposes ^{[1] [4] [3]}.

2. What to carry when the green card is not available: I-551 stamp or Form I-94

When a physical card is expired, lost, or being replaced, the temporary I-551 stamp placed in a passport or an I-94 containing an I-551 notation functions as acceptable evidence of LPR status for many federal checks and for employment eligibility verification ^{[2] [3] [6]}. USCIS and DHS materials specifically note that those temporary stamps and I-94 entries are recognized substitutes while the official card is pending ^{[2] [6]}.

3. Employment and I-9 considerations: green card vs. document combinations

For completing Form I-9, employers must accept either a List A document such as a current Permanent Resident Card or a combination of List B and C documents (for example, a state driver’s license plus an unrestricted Social Security card); an LPR may choose which acceptable documents to present and cannot be forced to reverify when proper documentation has been presented ^{[4] [2]}.

4. Travel, ID, and REAL ID: passports, proof of address, and originals for state DMVs

When applying for REAL ID-compliant state driver’s licenses or boardable domestic flights and federal facility access under REAL ID rules, LPRs must present original documents proving identity, lawful status, Social Security number, and residency—commonly a green card or I-551 evidence plus an unexpired passport and proof of address—because states require documentary proof of lawful presence to issue federally compliant IDs ^{[5] [7] [1]}.

5. Practical backups, receipts and the law’s nuances

USCIS allows certain receipt notices—such as a Form I-797 receipt for an I-90 replacement filing—to temporarily extend the practical validity of an expiring or expired card for employment verification and other uses, and agency guidance cautions that previous card designs remain valid until expiration unless otherwise noted ^{[4] [2]}. Federal regulation and State Department guidance also treat possession and surrender of Form I-551 as administratively significant, but the sources do not assert a blanket criminal requirement that an LPR must carry a green card at all times; rather, documents are required when interacting with federal processes, employers, carriers, or when applying for state or federal entitlements ^{[8] [9]}.

6. Where reporting and rules leave open questions—limitations and competing pressures

Official documents collated here show clear lists of acceptable evidence for different contexts—employment, DMV/REAL ID, and travel—but do not resolve every situation (for example, law enforcement interactions or international re-entry nuances can involve additional procedures and are governed by different authorities), and state DMVs’ insistence on original documents to obtain REAL ID-compliant licenses can create practical pressure to carry multiple items ^{[5] [7] [8]}. The sources also reflect institutional incentives—DMVs enforcing federal REAL ID rules, employers minimizing reverification burdens, and DHS/USCIS prioritizing fraud prevention through document designs—so the concrete recommendation emerging from government guidance is straightforward: keep a valid Form I-551 when possible, retain temporary I-551 stamps or I-94 evidence if the card is unavailable, and carry any USCIS receipt notices or EADs that substitute in specific contexts ^{[1] [2] [4]}.