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According to Melissa Henry at the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), “if you are eligible to renew your driver’s license online, you don’t need any documentation.” But if you’re required to visit a DDS branch to renew your Georgia driver’s license, you’ll want to come prepared with the required documents.
You must renew in person if:
Here are the documents you’ll need to renew your Georgia driver’s license in person.
The easiest proof of identification you can provide is a United States passport. If you don’t have one, you will likely need to bring your certified birth certificate. For anyone unable to find their birth certificate, you can get a certified copy from the Georgia Vital Records office for a $25 fee.
If you were not born in the United States, your Certificates of Naturalization can serve as your proof of identification. And if you are not a United States citizen, we’ll discuss your required documents in the Special Circumstances section of this article.
To provide proof of your Social Security number, you can bring your Social Security Card, a recent pay stub with your Social Security number displayed in its entirety, a Social Security statement (known as an SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S), or a tax form (like a W-2, 1099, or 1040).
The Georgia DDS needs to make sure you live in the state of Georgia, so they require proof of residency. This requirement can be met with bills that have been mailed to your home. Utility bills and mortgage statements are ideal because they will likely show your home address as the property serviced in addition to showing your home address as the mailing address. However other bills such as phone bills, student loan statements, and credit card bills can also be used as long as the documents show your street address (no PO boxes!).
There is some paperwork for you to complete before renewing your Georgia driver’s license in person. The good news is that you can download the required paperwork, complete it at home, and bring it with you so you can get in and out as quickly as possible.
There are special circumstances that require additional documentation. Review this list to see if any of these circumstances apply to you.
If your current legal name does not match the name on your proof of identification, you will need to provide certified documentation of your name change. The exact document you need depends on the reason for your name change. Here are a few of the most common reasons and their required documentation:
As a non-citizen of the United States, you will be required to provide proof of identification in the form of a Green Card or a valid foreign passport with a valid U.S. Visa.
You will also need to bring proof of your lawful status in the United States. A valid I-94 or I797A Notice of Action, for example. For the complete list of acceptable documentation for non-citizens, review the Non-Citizen section of the Georgia DDS Accepted Documents page.
With a little preparation, you'll have all the documentation you need to renew your Georgia driver's license.
