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Residency Requirements
Residency Requirement for Driver Licenses
You must prove that either your residence or your domicile is in Texas and that you have lived here for at least 30 days in order to apply for an original Texas noncommercial driver license.
A "residence" is the place where you normally live, live most of the time or return to after temporary absences. A "domicile" is your true, fixed and permanent home. If either your residence or domicile is in Texas, you meet this requirement for a driver license. (For example, college students may reside in another state while at school, but still have a Texas domicile if their parents live here.)
Proving Residency
You must prove your Texas residency by showing two acceptable documents that contain your name and residential address. One of the documents must prove that you have lived in Texas for at least 30 days, unless you are surrendering a valid, unexpired driver license from another state; then the 30 day requirement is waived.
Note: If you are younger than 18, your parent or legal guardian must prove Texas residency in order for you to get a Texas driver license. If you are unable to provide two acceptable documents (for example, if you live with someone but are not listed on the lease), you may be eligible to complete a Texas Residency Affidavit.
Documents That Prove Residency
These documents prove residency for a noncommercial driver license:
- Current deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement, mortgage payment booklet or a residential rental/lease agreement
- Valid, unexpired Texas voter registration card
- Texas motor vehicle registration or title
- Texas boat registration or title
- Texas concealed handgun license
- Utility statement (including electric, water, natural gas, satellite TV, cable TV or noncellular phone bill) dated within 90 days of the date of application
- Selective Service card
- Medical or health card
- Current homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy or homeowner's or renter's insurance statement
- Current automobile insurance policy or an automobile insurance statement
- Texas high school, college or university report card or transcript for the current school year
- W-2 or 1099 tax form from the current tax year
- Mail from financial institutions; including checking, savings, investment account and credit card statements dated within 90 days of the date of application
- Mail from a federal, state, county or city government agency dated within 90 days of the date of application
- Current automobile payment booklet
- Preprinted paycheck or payment stub dated within 90 days of the date of application
- Current documents issued by the U.S. military indicating residence address
- Document from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice indicating the applicant's recent release or parole
- Current Form DS2019, I-20 or a document issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Note: The two documents must be issued by different companies or agencies. For example, you cannot use both a water bill and electricity bill from the same company.
Address Confidentiality
The residency requirement is waived for people who are authorized to use alternative addresses under the following circumstances:
- Those who are subject to the address confidentiality program administered by the Office of the Attorney General.
- Those who are currently incarcerated in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility.
- Those who are judges or spouses of judges.
Peace officers using alternative addresses must still prove Texas residency, even though their driver licenses may show alternative addresses. They must show that their mailing addresses meet Texas residency requirements.