What is your driver's license number?

When the USCIS officer asks for the applicant's driver's license number, the applicant should respond by reading the number from the actual license, which the applicant should have brought to the interview. State driver's license numbers vary in format. California uses an alphanumeric format starting with one letter followed by 7 digits. New York uses 9 digits. Florida uses one letter and 12 digits. Texas uses 8 digits. Each state has its own format.

The applicant should not need to memorize the number; the officer expects the applicant to look it up on the physical license at the interview. The license-number question serves several purposes for USCIS. First, the driver's license number is part of the applicant's biographical record. Second, providing the number allows the officer to cross-reference with state DMV records if needed. Third, the question tests the applicant's ability to read English numbers and letters aloud, a basic English communication skill.

Applicants should practice reading their driver's license number aloud in advance. The numbers should be read individually (for example, "five seven three nine two one" rather than "five hundred seventy-three thousand nine hundred twenty-one"). Letters should be pronounced clearly. Applicants who cannot find their driver's license at the interview can give the number from memory or from a copy if available.

Applicants whose driver's license is expired should disclose the expiration and either renew the license before the interview or bring an alternative state-issued ID. Applicants who hold driver's licenses from multiple states (because they have moved or hold commercial licenses) should disclose all of them. Applicants whose driver's license is suspended or revoked should disclose this and explain the circumstances. Applicants who do not drive and have a state-issued non-driver ID can give that number instead. Applicants who do not have any state-issued identification can use their Permanent Resident Card and passport for identification at the interview.

The officer's primary identification documents are the green card and passport, not the driver's license. Applicants should always bring multiple forms of identification to the interview just in case. Driver's license information is generally available in state DMV databases that USCIS officers may access. Applicants whose actual driver's license number does not match the application records will face follow-up questions, although minor data entry errors are common and explainable. Applicants with concerns about their driver's license history should bring DMV records (driving history report) showing all licenses and any infractions.