Which U.S. states currently provide driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants and what types of credentials do they issue?
Executive summary
Nineteen U.S. states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, currently permit some or all undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses or driving privilege cards, according to multiple compilations by advocacy groups and reporters [1] [2] [3]. The exact credential and the paperwork required vary state-by-state: some jurisdictions issue standard driver’s licenses that can be REAL ID–compliant, others issue “drive-only” or marked non‑REAL ID cards, and several states place special markings or limitations on those credentials [4] [5] [6].
1. The landscape in plain terms: who allows it and where the authoritative lists live
Across recent reporting and policy tables, the consensus count is 19 states plus DC and Puerto Rico that have enacted laws or regulations to issue driving credentials regardless of immigration status, and the most reliable public trackers are the National Conference of State Legislatures and the National Immigration Law Center, which maintain maps and tables documenting the enacted statutes and DMV rules [7] [3] [2]. Different sources and different update dates account for minor discrepancies in published tallies — older accounts cite 14–16 jurisdictions while more recent advocacy and journalistic surveys put the figure at 19 plus DC/PR — underlining that the list has expanded over the last decade and continues to shift with state legislatures [8] [9] [10].
2. What these jurisdictions actually issue — standard licenses, “drive‑only” cards, and marked IDs
States that extend access do not all issue identical credentials: some provide a full, standard driver’s license that may be REAL ID‑compliant if federal document standards are met, while others issue a restricted or “drive‑only” card that permits driving but cannot be used for federal identification or air travel; advocates note both approaches exist and that many states now maintain parallel systems (REAL ID vs. non‑REAL ID) to accommodate different applicant documentation [4] [5] [11]. The National Immigration Law Center’s table explicitly catalogs statutes that “provide for the issuance of driver’s licenses or cards to otherwise-eligible state residents without restricting access on the basis of their immigration status,” reflecting that some jurisdictions use specially labeled cards or alternative procedures rather than identical documents for all residents [3].
3. Visible differences: markings, expiration, and interoperability across states
A practical distinction for drivers and law enforcement is whether a credential carries a visible marking indicating the holder did not provide proof of lawful presence; Connecticut and Delaware are explicitly reported to place such markings on licenses issued to people in the country unlawfully, and other states use different markers or card types to signal non‑REAL ID status [6]. That difference matters beyond optics: Florida and a few other states have enacted laws invalidating or criminalizing the use, within their borders, of certain out‑of‑state licenses issued “exclusively to undocumented immigrants,” and these interstate conflicts have produced legal and enforcement friction [5] [6].
4. Politics, policy arguments and the counterarguments on public safety and enforcement
Supporters frame expanded licensing as a public‑safety and regulatory measure — training, testing and insuring drivers should reduce crashes and unlicensed driving, and academic work has linked licensing to labor and commuting changes for immigrant workers [12] [9]. Opponents worry about identification parity and federal enforcement implications, and several Republican‑led states have moved to restrict the validity of out‑of‑state undocumented‑issued licenses or to criminalize their use, highlighting an implicit agenda to make state policy a front in national immigration politics [5] [6] [10]. Reporting also documents uncertainty about enforcement in practice and whether such laws produce many prosecutions, signaling a gap between legislative intent and on‑the‑ground effect [6].
5. Limits of the public record and where to look for the exact state list
This account relies on public policy trackers and national reporting; authoritative, up‑to‑date lists and the specific statutory language for each jurisdiction are maintained by the National Conference of State Legislatures and the National Immigration Law Center and should be consulted for precise state-by-state rules, renewals, and whether a credential is REAL ID‑compliant or marked [7] [3]. Scholars and longform reports note the count has changed over time — earlier studies reported smaller numbers — and readers should expect continued legislative movement as states respond to political pressure and federal ID rules [8] [9].
Bottom line
Nineteen states plus DC and Puerto Rico currently allow undocumented residents to obtain driving credentials according to major trackers, but the credential’s form — full standard license, drive‑only card, REAL ID vs. non‑REAL ID, or a card with a visible marking — varies by state, and interstate legal conflicts and political pushback have complicated the practical reach of those policies [1] [3] [5] [6]. For the exact list of which states and the precise type of credential each issues, consult the NCSL map and NILC’s state table, which track enacted statutes and DMV practice [7] [3].