DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE 
Division of Motor Vehicles – Driver License Section 
1 CCR 204-13 
RULES FOR PROOF OF IDENTITY, AGE, AND LAWFUL PRESENCE IN THE APPLICATION FOR DRIVER’S LICENSE OR IDENTIFICATION CARD 

Basis, Purpose and Statutory:
The statutory basis for this regulation are 24-4-103, 24-72.1-103, 42-1-204, 42-2-107 and 42-2-302 CRS.  

The department is responsible for the application process for obtaining Colorado driver’s licenses and identification cards.  The purpose of this regulation is to set forth guidelines for the type of documents that the department will use as proof of the applicant’s lawful presence in the United States, identity and age.  This rule is required for the preservation of public health, safety or welfare and noncompliance with the requirements of this section would be contrary to the public interest.

1.0 Definitions 

1.1 Age—The length of time in full years since a person’s date of birth. 

1.2 Applicant—Any natural person applying to the department for a Colorado license or identification card.

1.3 Department—The Colorado Department of Revenue. 

1.4 Document—An original document certified by the issuing agency, an amended original document certified by the issuing agency, or a true copy certified by the issuing agency, excluding miniature, wallet sized, or photocopy documents. 

1.5 Exception Processing—Review of documentary evidence presented by an applicant when it appears that the applicant cannot provide the documents otherwise required to prove the applicant’s age, identity, lawful presence, and/or residency. This process is detailed more fully in section 5.0 below. 

1.6  Full Legal Name –The applicant’s full legal name is the name on the applicant’s birth certificate, unless it has been changed by court order, marriage, divorce, or adoption.

1.7  Hearing—Hearing before a department administrative hearing officer. 

1.8  Identification Card—A photo identification document issued by a Department of Motor Vehicles or its equivalent that contains the bearer’s full legal name and date of birth, but that does not confer upon the bearer the right to operate a motor vehicle. 

1.9  Identity—Full legal name of the applicant. 

1.10 Incomplete Application—Any application for license or identification card submitted with insufficient proof of identity, age, or lawful presence, as required by these rules.

1.11  Lawful Presence—Demonstration of citizenship in the United States or the lawful entry of an alien into the United States for an authorized period of time after inspection and authorization by an immigration officer. 

1.12  License—A driver’s license, commercial driver’s license, minor driver’s license, or instruction permit.

1.13 Notice of Denial—Notice of formal denial of application for a license or identification card.
 
1.14 Notice of Incomplete Application—Written notice of the documents provided and the documents required to complete an application for a license or identification card. 

1.15  Required Elements—Age, identity, and lawful presence.
 
1.16  SAVE—The Systematic Alien Verification System for Entitlements, which is administered by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security. 

1.17  SSOLV—The Social Security Online Verification system. 

2.0 Proof of Identity, Age, and Lawful Presence 

2.1 Pursuant to § 42-2-107(2) and § 42-2-302(2), C.R.S., every application for a Colorado license or identification card shall state the full name, date of birth, gender, and residence address of the applicant. 

2.2 An applicant must provide documents that are sufficiently secure and reliable to constitute proof of each of the required elements. 

	2.2.1 A document shall be deemed proof of identity and age only if it is issued in 	accordance with § 24-72.1-103, C.R.S. The documents set forth in sections 2.3.1 and 	2.3.2 meet such requirements. 

	2.2.2 A document shall be deemed proof of lawful presence only if it is issued in 	accordance with § 24-72.1-103, C.R.S., and contains sufficient evidence to assure the 	 	department that the applicant is in compliance with federal immigration law. The 	documents set forth in sections 	2.3.1 and 2.3.3 meet such requirements. 

	2.2.3 Any applicant who believes he or she has provided sufficient documentation to 	prove the required elements, but whose application has been rejected, may request 	exception processing, as described in section 5.0 below, or contest the decision through 	the process described in section 6.0 below. 

2.3 The following documents or combination of documents are acceptable to provide proof of age, identity, and lawful presence: 

	2.3.1 The following documents, standing alone, provide proof of age, identity, and lawful 	presence: 

		2.3.1.1 A Colorado license or identification card that is not expired or that has 			expired 	within the last ten years, provided there exists on file with 				the department, a corresponding and matching facial image, signature 				and fingerprint of the applicant.

		2.3.1.2 A United States passport bearing the full legal name of the 				applicant that has not expired or that has expired within the last ten 				years. An applicant who provides a United States passport that has not expired 			or that has expired within the last ten years, but that does not bear the applicant’s 		full legal name, must provide an additional document from section 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 			2.3.3, or 2.3.5 that does bear the applicant’s full legal name. 

		2.3.1.3 An out-of-state photo driver’s license, photo instruction permit, or photo 			identification card issued by a state that requires proof of lawful presence, age 			and identity, and that is not expired or that has expired within the last twelve 			months. The list of states that meet this requirement may change from time to 			time as determined by the states’ various statutes, policies, and procedures. A 			list of states qualifying under this subsection will be maintained and published by 			the department, including but not limited to the departments website. 

		2.3.1.4 Foreign passport bearing a photograph of the applicant, in 				conjunction with a United States visa and I-94, showing class and expiration 			date, that establishes applicant’s identity, age, and lawful presence.

		2.3.1.5 A military identification card or common access card issued by the United 		States Department of Defense that bears a photograph of the applicant 				and that is not expired. Such identification cards include active duty, retiree, 			National Guard, and dependent identification cards. 

		2.3.1.6 Certificate of Naturalization bearing the applicant’s intact photograph 			(taken within the previous twenty years) and impressed with the raised 				embossed seal of the authorizing agency. Older photographs will require an 			additional identity document from section 2.3.2. 

		2.3.1.7 Certificate of Citizenship bearing the applicant’s intact photograph (taken 			within the previous twenty years) and impressed with the raised embossed seal 			of the authorizing agency. Older photographs will require an additional identity 			document from section 2.3.2. 

		2.3.1.8 Valid I-551, which is a resident alien or permanent residency card that is 			verified using SAVE. 

		2.3.1.9 Valid Employment Authorization Document, including I-766, I-688,
		 I-688A, I-688B that is verified using SAVE. 

		2.3.1.10 Valid I-94 with Refugee or Asylee status that contains an intact 				photograph taken within the last twenty years and that is verified using SAVE. 

		2.3.1.11  A department record of a driver’s license or identification card that 			contains the applicant’s facial image, signature, and fingerprint provided the 			image, signature and fingerprint match those of the applicant.  For the applicant 			to utilize this provision and for the department to access the record, the applicant 			must provide either his or her social security number or a document identified in 			section 2 of these rules.  The social security number or the information on the 			document must match the information on the department record.

	2.3.2 The following documents provide proof of an applicant’s identity. When providing 	any of the following documents, an applicant must also provide proof of lawful presence 		by providing one of the documents set forth in section 2.3.3. 

		2.3.2.1 A Colorado license or identification card that has expired within the 			last ten years and no corresponding image, signature, and fingerprint of the 			applicant exists on file with the department. 

		2.3.2.2 A driver’s license or identification card issued by any state, including a 			state that does not require proof of lawful presence to obtain 					such document, that is not expired or that has expired within the last ten years. 

		2.3.2.3 A valid identification document issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs that 			bears a photograph taken within the last twenty years. 

		2.3.2.4 A military identification card or common access card issued by the United 		States Department of Defense that contains a photograph of the applicant and 			that has expired within the previous ten years. Such identification cards include 			active duty, retiree, National Guard, and dependent identification cards. 

		2.3.2.5 A Veteran’s Administration Card that bears a photograph of the 				applicant that was taken within the last twenty years. 

		2.3.2.6  An identity document issued by the Federal Bureau of Prisons or 			Colorado Department of Corrections, provided the first and last name and date of 		birth match the first and last name and date of birth on the document presented 			by the applicant as proof of lawful presence.

		2.3.2.7  For an applicant under the age of 21, an affidavit signed by the  				applicant’s parent or legal guardian (the “affiant”), under penalty of perjury and in 			the presence of a department employee, identifying the applicant, affirming that 			the applicant is the person who is identified in the other documents 				presented by the applicant, and verifying the applicant’s identity, age, and lawful 			presence. The affiant must provide identification consistent with these rules and 			proof that he or she is the parent or legal guardian of the applicant. 

	2.3.3 The following documents provide proof of an applicant’s lawful presence. These 	documents must also be accompanied by a proof of identity document, as set forth 	above in section 2.3.2. 

		2.3.3.1 A social security card that is verified using the SSOLV system. 

		2.3.3.2 A birth certificate issued by the United States, including any agency or 			department thereof, the District of Columbia, any state, county, parish, or 			borough, and which has been certified by the issuing agency. 

		2.3.3.3 A Certificate of Citizenship issued by the United States Department of 			Interior. 

		2.3.3.4 A certified Order of Adoption bearing the seal or certification of the court 			of any state, political subdivision, or territory of the United States, and which 			includes the date and location of birth of the adoptee within the United States. 

		2.3.3.5 Valid I-94 with Refugee or Asylee status that does not contain a 				photograph and that is verified using SAVE. 

	2.3.4 An applicant may prove the applicant’s age by any of the documents described in 	sections 2.3.1, 2.3.2, or 2.3.3 that reflect the applicant’s date of birth or by use of a school 	record created within the last twelve months by a school within the United States. 

	2.3.5 A certified certificate of marriage, decree of dissolution of marriage or legal 	separation issued by any Native American Tribal court or an authorized government 	agency or court of the United States, any territory, or state of the United States, or any of 	their political subdivisions, or any court-ordered name change entered by any state or 	federal court may be used to modify the full legal name of the applicant.

		2.3.5.1  Name change as a result of marriage shall be subject to the following 			conventions: (1) the existing last name is replaced with the spouse’s last name; 
		(2) the existing last name is added as a second middle name and the spouse’s 			last name becomes the applicant’s last name; (3) the existing last name replaces 		the existing middle name and the spouse’s last name becomes the applicant’s 			last name; (4) the spouse’s last name replaces the existing middle name and the 			existing last name remains the applicant’s last name; (5) the spouse’s last name 			is added before or after the existing last name via a hyphen or space and 			becomes the applicant’s last name.

		2.3.5.2  All non-court-ordered name changes will require completion, and 			submission to the department, of the Affidavit of Name Change for a Colorado 			driver’s license or identification card, form DR-2203. 

	2.4 Any Colorado license or identification card issued to a citizen of a foreign country 	shall expire coincidentally with the applicant’s authorized duration of stay in the United 	States. 

	2.5 Nothing in these rules shall be construed to prevent the department from 	rejecting an application based in whole or in part on fraudulent or unverifiable	documents. 

		2.5.1 An application shall be rejected if the applicant presents any 				fraudulent or altered documents. 

		2.5.2 Nothing in the rules restricts or prohibits the department from verifying any 			document presented by an applicant. Such verification may include, but is not 			limited to, contacting the issuing agency, using an automated or online 				verification system created or maintained by a government agency, or comparing 		the document presented to a depiction or description contained in reference 			material compiled for the purpose of confirming the authenticity of a particular 			type or category of document. If the authenticity of a document cannot be 			verified, then an application may be rejected, additional documentation may be 			required, or the applicant may be referred to exception processing. 

3.0 Process for Complete Application 

	3.1 When an applicant has completed the required application and provided the 	required proof of the required elements, the application will be printed and the applicant 	must review and verify the information on the application by signing a “signature capture 	device” and then give a fingerprint and have his or her photograph taken. The printed and 	signed application will serve as the temporary document. The permanent document will 	be mailed to the applicant at the address provided on the application. 

4.0 Process for Incomplete Application 

	4.1 If an application is incomplete or the applicant has failed to provide sufficient 	documentary proof of one or more of the required elements, the department shall serve 	the applicant with a Notice of Incomplete Application in accordance with these rules. 

	4.2 The Notice of Incomplete Application shall include a notation of the reason for the 	decision that the application is incomplete. 

	4.3 The applicant shall have the opportunity to acquire the additional documentation 	identified as necessary on the Notice of Incomplete Application and to return to the 	department with the required additional documentation prior to being denied a Colorado 	license or identification card. 

	4.4 If, upon return to the department, the applicant fails to provide the additional 	documentation identified on the Notice of Incomplete Application, the department shall, at 	the applicant’s discretion, refer the applicant to exception processing or serve the 	applicant with a Notice of Denial. 

5.0 Exception Processing 

	5.1 An applicant may attempt to obtain a Colorado License or Identification Card through 	exception processing at the outset of the application process (if the applicant has reason 	to believe that he or she will be unable to provide adequate documentation) or after being 	issued a Notice of Incomplete Application. 

	5.2 When an applicant for a duplicate license or identification card or a renewal of a 	license or identification card does not have the documentation required to prove the 	applicant’s age, identity, residency and lawful presence, and cannot provide a social 	security number, but the applicant has on file an image, signature and fingerprint, the 	Motor Vehicle Investigations Unit can process the application if all of the biometrics 	match.  When an applicant has not had a license or identification card and cannot provide 	the documents otherwise required to prove the applicant’s age, identity, residency, and 	lawful presence, the applicant shall be referred to the Motor Vehicle Investigations Unit 	for exception processing. A branch manager in consultation with an investigator will 	review all available documentation to determine whether the applicant’s identity, age, and 	lawful presence can be established by a combination of documents, which includes any 	of the documents listed in section 2.3 and/or: 

		5.2.1 A valid Individual Colorado or Federal Tax Return, with an employee copy 			of an Internal Revenue Service form W-2 or 1099. Validity shall be determined 			using the SSOLV system. If the attempted validation of the social security 			number on the document provided using the SSOLV system fails, then the 			document shall be deemed invalid. 

		5.2.2 A life, health, or other insurance record that bears the applicant’s name, 			age or date of birth, and place of birth within the United States. When an 				applicant presents a life, health, or other insurance record for which the 				department does not have information regarding the indicia of validity or 				authenticity for such document, the department shall determine validity by 			contacting the issuing entity and either obtaining sufficient information regarding 			the indicia of authenticity and validity or confirmation that the document 				presented is valid. The applicant must cooperate with the department in obtaining 		this validation, including signing any authorization required by the issuing entity. 

		5.2.3 An identification card issued by a federally-recognized tribe. When an 			applicant presents an identification document from a federally-recognized tribe 			for which the department does not have information regarding the indicia of 			validity or authenticity for such documents, the department shall determine 			validity by contacting the issuing tribe or 	agency and either obtaining sufficient 			information regarding the indicia of authenticity and validity or confirmation that 			the identification presented is valid. 

		5.2.4 An identity document issued by the Federal Bureau of Prisons or 				Department of Corrections of Colorado. 

		5.2.5 A DD-214 that does not include the “not to be used for ID” disclaimer. 

		5.2.6 An affidavit signed under penalty of perjury, in the presence of a 				department employee, identifying the applicant and stating the name or names 			by which the affiant has known the applicant and that the affiant is 				unaware of any facts indicating that the applicant’s presence in the United States 		is unlawful. This affiant must present identification and must be a parent or legal 			guardian of the applicant, an employee of a governmental agency, or 				an employee of a non-profit entity registered with the department for 				this purpose. The department shall maintain copies of all such 					affidavits. 

		5.2.7 Any other verifiable document which may serve to provide evidence of the 			applicant’s identity, age or lawful presence, including expired documents, court 			documents, religious records, early school records, hospital records, municipal 			records, and insurance records. When an applicant presents a document or 			record under this provision for which the department does not have information 			regarding the indicia of validity or authenticity for such document or record, the 			department shall determine validity by contacting the issuing agency or entity and 		either obtaining sufficient information regarding the indicia of authenticity and 			validity or confirmation that the document presented is valid. The 				applicant must cooperate with the department in obtaining this validation, 			including signing any authorization required by the issuing agency or entity. 

	5.3 If, after a review of the documents and other evidence gathered during the course of 	the exception processing, the identity, age, and lawful presence of the applicant can be 	determined, consistent with state law, to a reasonable degree of certainty, then the	applicant shall be issued a Colorado license or identification card, if the applicant is 	otherwise qualified to be issued such a Colorado license or identification card. 

	5.4 If, after a review of the documents and other evidence gathered during the course of 	the exception processing, the identity, age, and lawful presence of the applicant cannot 	be determined, 	consistent with state law, to a reasonable degree of certainty, then the	applicant shall be issued a Notice of Denial, and is, thereby, eligible to request a hearing 	with the Motor Vehicle Hearings, as set forth in section 6.0. 

6.0 Hearing and Final Agency Action 

	6.1 An Applicant who has been served with a Notice of Denial may, within thirty (30) days 	of being issued such a notice, request a hearing on the merits of the denial by making a	written request for a hearing to the Hearings Section of the department at 1881 Pierce St. 	#106, Lakewood, CO 80214. The department shall include a form for requesting such a 	hearing with the Notice of Denial that is served on the applicant. 

	6.2 The Hearings Section shall hold the hearing in accordance with the provisions of the State 	Administrative Procedure Act and the provisions of Title 42 of the Colorado Revised 	Statutes. 

	6.3 The only issue at the hearing shall be whether the documentation provided by the 	applicant in support of the application for Colorado license or identification card is 	sufficient under Colorado statute and these rules. 

	6.4 The hearing officer shall issue a written decision within fifteen (15) business days of 	the completion of the hearing. If the hearing officer finds that the documentation is 	insufficient, then the denial shall be sustained. If the hearing officer finds that the 	documentation is sufficient, then the denial shall be rescinded and the department shall 	issue the Colorado license or identification card based on the existing documentation. 

	6.5 The decision by the hearing officer shall constitute final agency action, and is subject 	to judicial review as provided by § 24-4-106, C.R.S.