# Proof of residency letter: template for a landlord or host

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By [Arthur Teboul](/authors/arthur-teboul), Founder, DokuTrak. Published 2026-10-31, updated 2026-10-31.

> **In brief:** A proof of residency letter is a signed statement from a landlord, homeowner or family member confirming that you live at their address and since when. Attach the writer’s ID and their own lease, deed or bill, and confirm first that the office accepts a letter.

## What is a proof of residency letter?

A **proof of residency letter** is a short, signed note in which someone who controls a home vouches that you live there. It fills a gap when bills, leases and statements are all in another person’s name. Typical writers are a landlord, a property manager, a parent or a roommate on the lease.

The letter alone rarely satisfies a DMV. REAL ID rules ask for at least two documents with your name and principal residence, and each state chooses which ones count ([6 CFR 37.11, REAL ID application documents](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/6/37.11)). Some states accept a letter only with a formal affidavit or certification, so read the office’s list first.

Where a letter is accepted, its value comes from what travels with it: the writer’s photo ID and the writer’s own proof of the address.

## Who sends it, and when

The person who owns or rents the home writes and signs it: a landlord or property manager for a tenant, a homeowner or parent for a relative, or the leaseholder for a roommate. Employers, shelters and faith-based organizations write a similar letter for people they house or serve. California, for example, lists a letter from a shelter, nonprofit, employer or government agency among its residency documents ([California DMV, REAL ID checklist](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/real-id/real-id-checklist/)).

## Where to get a proof of residency letter

1. Ask the office that wants the proof whether it accepts a letter, and whether it has its own affidavit form.
2. Fill in the template below with the facts that match the writer’s relationship to you.
3. Have the writer sign and date it, and add the notary block if the office wants a sworn statement.
4. Attach a copy of the writer’s photo ID and a lease agreement, deed or bill in their name at the same address.

## Wrong files people send instead

- A letter typed and signed by the resident instead of the homeowner or landlord.
- No start date, so the reader cannot tell how long the resident has lived there.
- An address with no unit number, while the resident’s ID shows a unit.
- No attachment showing the writer actually owns or rents the home.
- A notarized letter sent to an office that requires its own state form.

## Who should write the letter, and what each one states

The facts in the letter depend on why the writer can speak for the address. A **leaseholder** is the person named on the lease, and only a leaseholder or owner should sign. The table shows what each writer states and attaches.

| Writer | Facts to state | What to attach |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Landlord or property manager | Unit, lease start and end dates, tenant names | Company letterhead or the signed lease |
| Homeowner or parent | Resident lives in the home, relationship, start date, rent or no rent | Deed, mortgage statement or property tax bill |
| Roommate on the lease | Resident shares the unit, start date, whether on the lease | The writer’s lease and a recent bill |
| Shelter, employer or nonprofit | Resident receives mail or services at the address | Letter on the organization’s letterhead, signer title |

## Will the DMV accept a residency letter?

Usually only through a state’s own route. DHS lists two proofs of principal residence address among the minimum REAL ID documents and lets states add requirements ([DHS, REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/real-id-faqs)).

States that allow a host’s word tend to use their own forms. Texas uses a residency affidavit, Form DL-5 ([37 Tex. Admin. Code § 15.49, Proof of Domicile](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/37-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-15-49)), and Florida uses a Certification of Address signed before a notary or office staff ([FLHSMV Form 71120, Certification of Address](https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/forms/71120.pdf)). In those states, bring the state form rather than this letter; see [proof of residency](/documents/proof-of-residency) for the state guides.

## Where a residency letter does the job

Outside the DMV, letters are common. School districts often ask families who live with relatives for a host statement, though many publish an affidavit of residence to use instead.

- School enrollment: the parent who lives with the host signs, and the student’s name goes in the letter.
- Employer or HR file: confirms a new address when a hire has moved in with family.
- Bank or brokerage: some accept a letter as supporting evidence, but the bank must still collect a street address ([31 CFR 1020.220, Customer identification programs for banks](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/31/1020.220)).
- Address history check: a former landlord confirms past dates for a tenant screening or background check.

## Does the letter need a notary?

Not always. A plain signed letter works where the reader just needs a statement and a call-back number. An **affidavit of residence** is the version the writer swears to in front of a notary, who checks their ID.

Ask for notarization when the office says sworn, affidavit or notarized. Texas, for example, asks shelters and care homes for a notarized letter confirming they receive mail or services for the applicant ([37 Tex. Admin. Code § 15.49, Proof of Domicile](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/37-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-15-49)).

## The template: Proof of residency letter

The landlord, homeowner or leaseholder fills in the brackets, keeps the basis clause that fits and signs. Check that the receiving office accepts a letter before you send it; if it has its own affidavit form, use that.

```text
[Writer full name or company name]
[Writer street address, unit, city, state, ZIP]
[Writer phone] | [Writer email]
[Date]

To: [Receiving office, e.g. school district, employer, bank] or To whom it may concern
Re: Proof of residency for [Resident full legal name]

To whom it may concern,

Statement of residence
I confirm that [Resident full legal name], born [date of birth], lives at [street address, unit, city, state, ZIP] and has lived there since [month and year].

Landlord basis (optional)
[Resident full legal name] rents this unit under a lease dated [lease start date] that runs until [lease end date]. I am the [owner / property manager] of the property.

Host basis (optional)
[Resident full legal name] lives with me in my home as my [relationship: son, daughter, partner, roommate]. [They pay no rent. / They pay $[amount] per month toward household costs.]

Past residency (optional)
[Resident full legal name] lived at this address from [start date] to [end date].

Student and parent (optional)
[Parent or guardian name] and [Student name], a student in grade [grade], both live at this address with me.

Mail and duration
[Resident first name] receives mail at this address. I expect this arrangement to continue [until [date] / for the foreseeable future].

Attachments
Attached are a copy of my government photo ID and my [lease / deed / mortgage statement / property tax bill / utility bill] for this address, dated [date].

Truthfulness
I state that the information in this letter is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that a false statement may carry penalties under the law of [State]. You may call me at [Writer phone] to confirm it.

Notary acknowledgment (optional)
State of [State], County of [County]. Signed and sworn before me on [date] by [Writer full name], who proved their identity to me. Notary signature: ____________ Commission expires: [date]. [Seal]

Sincerely,

____________________
[Writer full name]
[Relationship to resident or title: landlord / property manager / homeowner]
```

Download: [Word](https://dokutrak.com/downloads/pseo-v2/f6-document-guides/proof-of-residency-letter.docx) · [PDF](https://dokutrak.com/downloads/pseo-v2/f6-document-guides/proof-of-residency-letter.pdf)

## Questions people ask

### Can a family member write a proof of residency letter?

Yes. A parent, sibling or other relative who owns or rents the home can sign it. Some offices also want proof of the family tie, such as a birth certificate.

### What should be attached to a proof of residency letter?

A copy of the writer’s photo ID and one or two of the writer’s own documents at the same address, such as a lease, deed, mortgage statement or utility bill.

### Is a residency letter enough on its own?

Rarely for a driver license, since REAL ID needs two documents with your name and principal residence ([6 CFR 37.11, REAL ID application documents](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/6/37.11)). Pair it with something in your own name, such as a bank statement or pay stub.

### Is a proof of residency letter the same as an affidavit of residence?

Close. An affidavit is the sworn, notarized version. Use it when the office asks for a sworn statement or provides its own form.

**Not advice.** This page is general information, not tax, legal or HR advice. Rules change: check the cited source and ask your own professional before you rely on it. Last reviewed October 25, 2026.

## Sources

- [6 CFR 37.11, REAL ID application documents](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/6/37.11): REAL ID applicants present at least two documents of the state’s choice that include their name and principal residence.
- [DHS, REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/real-id-faqs): Two proofs of address of principal residence are part of the REAL ID minimum, and states may impose additional requirements.
- [California DMV, REAL ID checklist](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-licenses-identification-cards/real-id/real-id-checklist/): A letter attesting California residence from a shelter, nonprofit, faith-based organization, employer or government agency is an accepted residency document.
- [37 Tex. Admin. Code § 15.49, Proof of Domicile](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/37-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-15-49): Texas accepts a residency affidavit from a household member, or a notarized letter from a shelter, care facility or college confirming mail or services.
- [FLHSMV Form 71120, Certification of Address](https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/forms/71120.pdf): Florida’s Certification of Address is signed by the person whose name is on the household documents, before a notary or issuance staff.
- [31 CFR 1020.220, Customer identification programs for banks](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/31/1020.220): Banks must obtain a residential or business street address for an individual customer before opening an account.

## More on this topic

- [Proof of residency](/documents/proof-of-residency)

## About the author

Arthur Teboul (Founder, DokuTrak) is building DokuTrak after watching professionals lose hours chasing clients for documents over email. [Arthur Teboul](/authors/arthur-teboul).

How this page was made (methodology): it is built from the primary sources listed under Sources, and every rule and figure on it links to the source it comes from. Last updated October 25, 2026. Spotted an error or a rule that changed? [Contact us](/contact).

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