Driver’s license: what to send, and how to replace it
By Arthur Teboul, DokuTrak · Published
In short
A US driver’s license is issued by the motor vehicle agency of the state you live in, usually called the DMV. It serves as photo ID for banks, lenders, employers and tax preparers. When asked for a copy, send both sides, flat, in focus, with no glare on the photo. If it is lost or expired, replace or renew it through your state DMV.
This page in other languages: Español
What is a driver’s license?
The front shows your photo, full name, date of birth, address, license number, issue and expiration dates, license class and a physical description. The back usually carries a barcode with the same data, plus endorsements and restrictions.
A gold or black star in the upper corner marks a REAL ID compliant license, accepted for boarding domestic flights. A state ID card, issued by the same agency to people who do not drive, works as photo ID in the same way.
Who sends it, and when
Each state issues its own licenses, through an agency called the DMV, MVD, BMV, Department of Public Safety or Secretary of State depending on the state. After a renewal or replacement, many states hand you a temporary paper document and mail the plastic card later.
Where to get a driver’s license
- Your wallet: photograph or scan the front and the back on a dark, flat surface.
- Your state DMV website, to renew, replace a lost license or update your address, online in many states.
- A DMV office, for first licenses, REAL ID upgrades, or cases the website cannot handle.
- Your state’s mobile ID app, if your state has one, though many requesters still ask for the physical card.
Wrong files people send instead
- The front only, when the back was requested too.
- An expired license, or one whose expiration date is cut off.
- Glare from a flash over the photo or the license number.
- A learner’s permit or a temporary paper license, which some requesters do not accept on its own.
- A license showing an old address, with no proof of the new one.
Questions people ask
How do I replace a lost driver’s license?
Request a replacement from your state’s DMV, online in many states or at an office. You may receive a temporary paper document while the new card is mailed.
Why do people ask for both sides of a driver’s license?
The back holds the barcode and restrictions, and some states print information there. A copy of both sides lets the requester check the full card.
Can I use a state ID instead of a driver’s license?
Usually yes. A state ID card is issued by the same agency and is accepted as photo ID wherever driving privileges are not the point.
Ask once. DokuTrak does the chasing.
- Your client uploads from one link, with no account and no password.
- Reminders go out on a schedule, by default 2, 5, 10 and 14 days after the request, until the file arrives.
- With AI review switched on in your workspace (it is off by default), each upload gets a first pass that flags a file that is not a driver’s license, an unreadable or blurry scan or an expired document. It says so when it is not sure.
- You accept every file or mark it for re-upload, and your client gets the note by email. The AI never accepts a file.