How mortgage brokers request a driver’s license from borrowers
By Arthur Teboul, DokuTrak · Published
In short
Ask each borrower for a clear copy of an unexpired government-issued photo ID, usually a driver’s license, front and back, or a passport photo page. Lenders need it to verify who the borrower is and to match the name on every other document. A flat scan or a sharp photo with all four corners visible is what to ask for.
Why mortgage brokers need a driver’s license
Lenders must verify the borrower’s identity before funding a loan, and the ID anchors every other document in the file. The underwriter and the closing team compare the name on the license with the application, the pay stubs, the bank statements and the title, and a mismatch such as a maiden name or a missing middle initial has to be explained before closing. The ID also confirms who signs at the closing table.
What exactly to ask for
The front and back of a current driver’s license or state ID for every borrower on the loan, or the photo page of a passport. The expiration date should fall after the expected closing date. If the borrower has changed their name, ask early for the document that links the names, such as a marriage certificate.
What to check when it arrives
- The ID is not expired and will not expire before the expected closing date.
- The full legal name matches the application and the name on the other documents in the file.
- Both sides are readable, with no glare over the photo, the license number or the dates.
Email to send your client
Replace the bracketed parts. The same text fits in the message of a DokuTrak request (up to 1,000 characters).
Subject: A copy of your photo ID
Hi [Client name],
A quick one for your file: I need a copy of your driver’s license, front and back. A passport photo page works too. If someone is on the loan with you, please send theirs as well.
A flat scan is best. A phone photo is fine if all four corners are in the frame and there is no glare on the photo or the dates.
If the name on your ID is different from the one on your bank or pay documents, let me know now so we can sort it out well before closing.
Could you send it by [date]?
Thank you, [Your name]
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.