Getting a REAL ID-compliant license or ID card requires an in-person visit to your state's DMV — there's no way to complete this one entirely online, since the whole point of REAL ID is verifying your documents against federal standards in person. * The document requirements fall into a few consistent categories across states, even though the exact accepted document list varies state by state. You'll typically need one document proving your identity (often a birth certificate or passport), one document proving your Social Security number (a Social Security card or a W-2 both usually work), and two separate documents proving your state residency, commonly a utility bill and a bank statement or mortgage document. * If you've legally changed your name since your identity documents were issued — through marriage, divorce, or a court order — you'll need to bring that legal documentation too, connecting your old name to your current one. * Every document across all these categories has to be an original or a certified copy issued by the relevant agency. Regular photocopies aren't accepted under any circumstances, no matter how clear or official they look. * Because states administer REAL ID individually within federal guidelines, the exact accepted document list differs from state to state — most state DMV websites publish an interactive checklist tool specifically for this, and using it before your appointment is the best way to avoid getting turned away for missing paperwork.