Which U.S. states explicitly prohibit undocumented immigrants from obtaining driver's licenses as of 2025?
Executive summary
As of 2025, research from immigrant-rights legal groups and contemporaneous reporting shows a clear split: 19 states (plus D.C. and Puerto Rico) affirmatively issue driver’s licenses to people without lawful immigration status, while the remaining states maintain policies that deny them — a group totaling 31 states that explicitly restrict access based on immigration status [1] [2]. Recent state-level pushes have focused not only on whether a state issues licenses, but on blocking out‑of‑state licenses issued to undocumented people from other jurisdictions, with high-profile new laws and proposals emerging in places such as Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Wyoming [3] [4] [5] [6].
1. What the headline numbers mean, and why they differ
Advocates and policy trackers use two complementary tallies: one counts jurisdictions that affirmatively issue licenses regardless of immigration status (commonly reported as 19 states plus D.C. and Puerto Rico), and the inverse tally counts states that continue to deny such licenses — reported by the National Immigration Law Center as 31 states [2] [1]. Those simple counts mask nuance: some states issue limited “driving privilege” cards rather than full REAL ID‑compliant licenses, some have multi‑tiered systems that mark documents, and some states are actively passing laws to invalidate out‑of‑state licenses held by undocumented people even if they do not themselves issue them [7] [8] [6].
2. The legal and political posture in states that deny licenses
States that “prohibit” issuance typically require proof of lawful presence or a Social Security number to qualify for a standard driver’s license; the National Immigration Law Center frames these denials as 31 states that restrict access on the basis of immigration status [1]. Political momentum in several denying states has shifted recently from passive denial — simply requiring legal status — to active measures: bills and laws that expressly invalidate out‑of‑state licenses held by undocumented people or criminalize driving with licenses designated for non‑citizens, as seen in Florida and in newly enacted measures elsewhere in 2025 [3] [4] [6].
3. Examples that illuminate broader trends (Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wyoming)
Florida’s 2023–2025 legislative push crystallized this trend: the state enacted a law making it a misdemeanor to drive using a license “issued exclusively to undocumented immigrants” or bearing markings indicating a lack of lawful presence, and the statute also targets recognition of out‑of‑state licenses [3] [4]. Oklahoma’s 2025 proposed legislation aimed to refuse recognition of undocumented licenses issued by other states, and state officials reaffirmed they would not issue licenses to undocumented immigrants — demonstrating the policy playbook used by denial states [5]. News coverage also documents bills in Tennessee and Wyoming that invalidate out‑of‑state undocumented licenses, underlining a coordinated policy interest in closing cross‑border loopholes [6].
4. Public‑safety and policy arguments on both sides
Proponents of restricting licenses argue state control of credentialing preserves law and order and deters unauthorized migration; supporters of granting licenses emphasize road safety, insurance coverage, and administrative clarity, noting that licensing reduces unlicensed driving and related risks [1] [7]. Reporting and advocacy sources reflect both frames: NILC and immigrant‑rights groups stress safety and inclusion, while state lawmakers in denying jurisdictions emphasize immigration enforcement and document integrity [1] [5].
5. Limits of available reporting and what cannot be stated from these sources
The sources provided establish counts and examples but do not publish a single definitive, up‑to‑date list of all 31 “prohibiting” states within these snippets, so a specific state‑by‑state enumeration cannot be responsibly asserted here without consulting the full NILC table or state statutes directly [1] [7]. Likewise, the sources document a wave of 2024–2025 laws and proposals but do not uniformly detail implementation status or legal challenges that could alter access in individual states [3] [6].