TRENTON – Starting June 15, customers of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) will no longer need to present a Social Security card or other document to prove their Social Security number; instead, thanks to changes to REAL ID, the NJMVC can electronically verify proof of a Social Security number against the Social Security Administration's database.

In 2019, Governor Murphy signed A-4743/S-3229 and updated the requirements for New Jersey licenses and IDs. As part of this legislation, applicants for New Jersey non-driver licenses or IDs were required to present documentary proof of their Social Security number, such as a Social Security card, W-2, or other government document.

While that law was being implemented in New Jersey, the federal REAL ID Modernization Act was passed. This Act simplified the application process in several ways, including eliminating the requirement to provide documentary proof of a Social Security number. The state must still verify the applicant's Social Security number with the Social Security Administration; If the SSN and information provided do not match the SSA information, the application will be denied.

Accordingly, Sue Fulton, Senior Administrator of the NJMVC, today issued the attached exception, effective June 15, 2022. This eliminates the requirement that an applicant provide documentary proof of their Social Security number (for example, Social Security card or W-2) provided that the Social Security number, name and the applicant's date of birth can be verified with the Social Security Administration. The NJMVC currently conducts that verification electronically during the applicant's in-person identification or license transaction.

This exception applies not only to REAL ID licenses and IDs, but also to standard New Jersey licenses and IDs.