OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington is tightening its requirements for issuing driver’s licenses in an effort to reduce the number of people who get them fraudulently.
Beginning Monday, the state Department of Licensing will require proof of a valid Washington residence address if an applicant doesn’t provide a verified Social Security number. The proof documents, such as rental agreements, will be copied and verified by the agency before a permanent license is issued.
Washington, New Mexico and Utah have been states where illegal immigrants could get licenses. An Associated Press analysis earlier this year found that those states have seen a surge in immigrants seeking IDs in recent months, a trend experts attribute to crackdowns on illegal immigration in Arizona and elsewhere.
Washington Licensing Director Liz Luce said Thursday that the updated proof of residence policy is one of a series of steps her agency has taken “to clamp down on license fraud.”
