Undocumented Immigrants Eligible for DE Driver Cards

By: Bridget Clerkin December 16, 2015
Delaware will begin offering undocumented immigrants driving privileges.
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This holiday season, Delaware will be giving more of its residents the opportunity to drive legally.

Starting December 27, the First State will allow undocumented immigrants to apply for Driving Privilege Cards, an act that will help those affected gain car insurance and master the rules of the road.

The cards themselves are different from a standard driver’s license in several ways. The color scheme of the cards will be completely different than Delaware licenses issued to U.S. citizens, in order to help authorities easily recognize the distinction.

The document will also not be available for holders to use as a form of identification, a distinction which will be clearly marked twice on the document, through the phrases “Driving Privilege Only” and “Not Valid for Identification.

However, like with a standard driver’s license, applicants will need to successfully complete several steps before being issued the card.

Individuals applying for Driving Privilege Cards will need to pass a written test to obtain the document. Like teenagers driving on limited permits in the state, applicants will also need a licensed driver to accompany them until they successfully pass a road test.

In order to have a Driver Privilege Card issued, an applicant must first submit fingerprints through the State Bureau of Identification – a process that costs $52.50. A Certificate of Filing Compliance must also be obtained from the Department of Revenue, in which the applicant proves he or she has paid taxes in Delaware within the past 2 years.

Both of these steps must be completed before the applicant makes an appointment with the state Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

The individual hoping to get a card must also bring the following to the DMV:

  • 2 forms of proof of Delaware residency.
  • Proof of name and date off birth.
    • Passport.
    • Foreign birth certificate officially translated into English.
  • A $20 application fee.

Once the paperwork is in line, the applicant will need to pass the written test. The road test must be taken no earlier than 10 days after passing the written test and no later than 6 months after that date.

Driving Privilege Cards will be valid for 4 years and can be renewed at the DMV.

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