# How tax preparers request a driver’s license from clients

Source: https://dokutrak.com/requests/tax-preparers/drivers-license
Author: Arthur Teboul, DokuTrak
Published: 2026-11-02
Language: en-US

> Ask the client, and the spouse on a joint return, for a clear scan of the front and back of a current driver’s license or state ID. You use it to confirm who you are filing for, and some states ask for ID details such as the number, issue date and expiration date on e-filed returns.

## Why tax preparers need a driver’s license

A preparer files under the client’s name and Social Security number, so you confirm identity before anything goes to the IRS. Checking a photo ID against the name on the return is a basic guard against filing for the wrong person or an impostor. Some states also ask for driver’s license or state ID details on e-filed returns as an identity theft check, and missing them can slow processing of a state refund.

## What exactly to ask for

Front and back of a driver’s license or state-issued ID that is valid today, for the taxpayer and, on a joint return, the spouse. A flat scan or a sharp photo with all four corners visible. A temporary paper license works if it shows the number and dates.

## What to check when it arrives

- The name matches the name on the return and the Social Security card, including any recent name change.
- The license is not expired, and the number, issue date, expiration date and state are all readable.
- There is one ID per filer: the spouse’s too on a joint return.

## Email to send your client

Subject: A copy of your driver’s license for your return

```text
Hi [Client name],

A quick one: I need a copy of your driver’s license or state ID, front and back. If we are filing jointly, please send your spouse’s as well.

I use it to confirm your identity before filing, and some states ask for the license number and dates on electronically filed returns.

A scan or a clear photo with all four corners visible is perfect. Please check that it has not expired. Could you send it by [date]? If your license has expired, tell me and we will work out what to use instead.

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.

14-day free trial, no card. Add one only to keep going.