[ilovesarah2012]

Just to renew her license? Maybe they have new rules, but all I ever needed was my old license. Of course that was quite a few years ago.

[mamelukesabre]

If you don’t have your old license, I believe you are required to produce 3 items of proof...3 of these:

birth certificate
school records/transcripts
military discharge papers
selective service card
social security card
marriage certificate
military photo ID

and a few others that I don’t remember

[JimRed]

Just to renew her license? Maybe they have new rules, but all I ever needed was my old license.

In New Jersey we now need six "points" of ID to renew the licenses. Four point documents for U.S. citizens are birth certificate (original or certified copy), passport or passport card, current digital DL or non-driver ID card, active duty military ID card, adoption papers, and certificate of naturalization or of citizenship.

Other documents are worth 3, 2 or 1 points. You must present at least one primary (4 point) document and at least one other (secondary, 3, 2 or 1 points), a verifiable social security number and proof of address.

Non-citizens have a different list of requirements, but it appears as strict as the citizen requirements.

[FiscalSanity]

There are new rules for Florida driver license and ID card renewals as of July 1, 2010. Here’s a link to the requirements: http://www.dmvflorida.org/drivers-license-identification.shtml

But for those who can’t or don’t want to check the link, generally U.S. citizens have to show an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a social security card, and two current proofs of residence. There are alternative documents accepted for some of this, but people born in the U.S. have to show a birth certificate or a valid U.S. passport. Naturalized citizens and citizens born abroad have to show other U.S. government documents.

Non-citizen immigrants have to show proof that they are legally here, such as a green card or employment authorization, as well as proof of social security number and two proofs of residence.

Persons who have had any name change(s) have to show a chain of original or certified copies of marriage licenses or court orders that track all changes from the name on the birth certificate to the current name.

I had to renew my license last fall, and they were dead serious about the requirements, turning away everyone who didn’t have all the necessary documents.

There is one benefit to this hassle: Florida law requires a valid photo I.D. to vote.