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Fact check: What documents are required for an undocumented immigrant to get a California drivers license?
Executive Summary
Undocumented immigrants in California can obtain an AB 60 driver’s license by proving identity and California residency and by meeting the DMV’s testing and application requirements; accepted identity documents include foreign passports and consular IDs, while residency may be shown with leases, utility bills, or other approved documents [1] [2] [3]. The California DMV guidance and AB 60 materials published between 2024 and 2025 remain the clearest sources about what documents are acceptable and the procedural steps required, though specific acceptable-document lists vary across DMV publications and community resources [1] [2] [3] [4]. The Mexican Consulate and similar consular services are repeatedly cited as practical channels for obtaining identity documents used in AB 60 applications, especially for Mexican nationals [5].
1. How California law opened a door — the AB 60 framework and what it demands
California’s Assembly Bill 60 created a pathway for people who cannot prove legal presence to obtain a state driver’s license by meeting the DMV’s standard identity and residency requirements rather than federal immigration status rules. The DMV’s AB 60 guidance explicitly states applicants must provide proof of identity — often satisfied by a valid foreign passport, consular identification cards, or other government-issued foreign documents — and proof of California residency, typically demonstrated with a rental or lease agreement, deed, or recent utility bill among other listed items [1] [2]. The DMV’s AB 60 FAQ reiterates these points and adds that applicants must complete the normal application, pay fees, and pass written and driving tests; supplemental requirements such as driver education apply to minors [2] [3].
2. What counts as identity: passports, consular IDs and the variability across DMV documents
DMV materials from 2024–2025 list multiple options for proof of identity and the lists overlap but are not identical across all publications. The DL 1065 user-friendly guide and AB 60 pages enumerate valid foreign passports, Mexican federal IDs, and consular identification cards among acceptable identity documents, but the exact language and acceptable alternatives differ slightly between the February 2024 guide and later DMV AB 60 pages published in 2025 [1] [3]. That variability matters in practice because applicants often rely on consular-issued documents — and the Mexican Consulate explicitly promotes passports and matriculas as tools to establish identity for state services — making consular records a practical bridge for many applicants [5]. Applicants should consult the DMV page current at the time of application to confirm the exact acceptable documents for identity [2] [4].
3. Proving California residency: common documents and pitfalls applicants face
For residency proof the DMV materials consistently list rental or lease agreements, utility bills, and deeds as core options, but the DL 1065 guide highlights a broader range of acceptable documents that community groups often cite when assisting applicants [1]. Bank statements sometimes appear in community FAQs but DMV guidance and appointment instructions emphasize documents that show a California address and the applicant’s name; applicants who only have a bank statement should verify whether the DMV accepts it as one of the two residency proofs required in some DMV workflows [1] [4]. In practice, mismatches between what community resources suggest and what a particular DMV office accepts can cause delays, so applicants are advised to bring multiple forms of residency documentation listed on the DMV’s current AB 60 or non-REAL ID pages [2] [4].
4. Procedural steps and differences between AB 60 and REAL ID pathways
The DMV draws a clear procedural line between AB 60 licenses and REAL ID-compliant credentials. AB 60 applicants follow the DMV’s standard application and testing process but rely on identity and residency documents that do not require proof of lawful presence; by contrast, REAL ID applications require proof of lawful presence and Social Security in addition to identity and residency, making them unavailable to undocumented immigrants without qualifying immigration documentation [4] [2]. The AB 60 FAQ and DMV application pages published in 2025 detail that AB 60 licensees can lawfully drive in California but that their AB 60 license will not serve for federal identification purposes that REAL ID or a passport would serve [3] [4].
5. Multiple viewpoints, practical advice and where to double-check before you go
Official DMV sources and consular offices constitute the primary, practical sources: the DMV’s AB 60 guidance and DL 1065 document provide the legal checklist of acceptable documents, while Mexican consular services advertise passports and matriculas to help nationals meet those identity requirements [1] [2] [3] [5]. Community-serving organizations emphasize flexibility and recommend bringing multiple types of identity and residency documents to avoid denial at the counter; this community guidance sometimes stretches beyond the narrow lists in older DMV publications, which is why applicants should verify the DMV website’s current lists and bring backups [1] [2]. For final, up-to-date confirmation of acceptable documents and any procedural changes, check the DMV AB 60 page and the DL 1065 guidance current at the time of application [2] [4].