What Counts as Proof of Residency in Arkansas?
You can use a U.S. passport, valid permit, or marriage certificate for proof of residency in Arkansas.
Written by Jaya Anandjit
Reviewed by Georgina Grant
As long as they include your name and address, documents such as a marriage certificate, a hunting or fishing license, and your vehicle registration can all be used as proof of residency in Arkansas.
To obtain an Arkansas driver’s license or REAL ID, you’ll need to prove to the Office of Driver Services that you’re a legal permanent resident of Arkansas. Legal presence documents, identification documents, your Social Security number, and proof of residency are all necessary to prove your identity and verify your Arkansas address.
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What documents can be used as proof of residency in Arkansas?
To get an Arkansas REAL ID or standard Arkansas driver’s license, you’ll need to bring documents from the following categories to your local revenue office:
- Proof of legal presence: Must include your name, date of birth, and legal status (e.g. U.S. passport, certificate of birth abroad, U.S. birth certificate, foreign passport with valid U.S. Visa, certificate of birth abroad, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, valid employment authorization, valid permanent resident card)
- Proof of identity: Must include your name and date of birth (e.g. current driver’s license, tax return from within the last year, marriage certificate)
- Social Security number: Must include your name and Social Security number (e.g. Social Security card, W-2 tax form, pay stub, 1099 tax form, DD214)
- Proof of residency: Must include your name and address, dated within six months unless indicated otherwise (e.g. bank statement, insurance card, phone bill)
For a first-time driver’s license or REAL ID, you will need one document that proves your legal presence, one document that proves identity, one document that provides your Social Security number, and two documents that provide proof of residency.
To change the address on your license, you will need your old driver’s license, one document proving legal presence in the U.S., two identity documents, and one Social Security number document.
Applicants can use the following to meet the residency documents requirement:
- Utility bill (gas, water, electric)
- Bank statement
- Court order
- Phone bill
- Internet bill
- Current mortgage statement or rental/lease agreement
- Insurance card (health, auto, homeowners)
- Federal or state tax return (less than one year old)
- Voter registration card (less than four years old)
- Pay stub, pay slip, or salary statement with employer name
- Tuition invoice
- School record on transcript
- School identification card
- Tax return dated within one year
- Pilot’s license
- Medical bill
- Dental bill
- A formal letter from a bank manager, accountant, attorney, medical practitioner, or employer that states that they’ve known the applicant for three years, confirming the applicant’s residential address
A combination of any two of these documents can be used as proof of residency in Arkansas, accompanied by name change linking documents (e.g. marriage certificates, divorce decrees).
All documents must be original—photocopies, digital formats, and fax are not accepted.
MORE: How to renew your driver’s license in Arkansas
What documents do not qualify as proof of Illinois residency?
Arkansas residents have a wide range of documents that may be used as proof of residency, but there are a few documents that don’t count. To help you choose the right ones, here is a list of documents that cannot be used for proof of residency in Arkansas:
- Check cashing card
- Bond receipts
- Business card
- Club or fraternal organization membership card
- Department of Human Services (DHS) card
- Loan papers from an unlicensed financial institution
- Unofficial (i.e. commercially produced) ID card
- Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) card
- International driving permit
- Library card
- Video club membership card
- Personal mail
- Ticket from a traffic citation or arrest
- Loan papers from an unlicensed financial institution
- Wallet ID
What qualifies for proof of identity in Illinois?
Arkansas requires REAL ID driver’s license and identification card applicants to provide one proof of identity document, including the applicant’s full name and date of birth. Here are the documents that qualify for proof of identity:
- Court order
- Tax return dated within the last year
- Marriage certificate or license
- Military ID
- Armed forces discharge papers
- Prison release document, sentencing order
- Certified school record or transcript
- Bureau of Indian Affairs card
- Indian Treaty card
- Pilot’s license
- Federal or state-issued ID
- Arkansas vehicle registration
- Pension or retirement statement
- Hunting/fishing license
Any document used for identification must include your full name and complete date of birth. Documents that include full name and address may be used for proof of residency.
MORE: Car inspection in Arkansas
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