Driver License or Identification Card Application

What DL 44 Is Used For

DL 44 is California’s Driver License or Identification Card Application. It’s the form you use for a new license, a renewal, a replacement if yours is lost or stolen, a name correction, or a standard ID card. It has nine parts, but you’ll only fill in the ones that match what you’re there for.

It’s not a form for one narrow situation like a title transfer or a replacement plate. It’s the main application behind many California driver license and identification card services.

How to Get DL 44 Form

DMV issues this form two ways, and most people start with the first one.

• Start online, then finish in person. Fill in DMV’s online driver license and ID card application with your personal details, licensing needs, and the eligibility questions in Part 5. Finish the session and note your confirmation number, since you’ll need it at the counter. Booking an appointment ahead of time usually means less waiting than a walk-in visit, especially at busier offices. At a DMV field office, an employee pulls up your saved application using that number, prints your personal copy, and has you sign it there.

• Get a paper copy at a field office. If you’d rather skip the online step, a DMV employee can hand you a paper copy on the spot and walk you through it in person. This route usually means a longer wait, since your information hasn’t been entered ahead of time.

Either way, bring your identity documents, proof of residency if you’re applying for REAL ID, and payment for the fee. Fees vary by what you’re applying for and your age, so check DMV’s current fee page or ask at the counter before your visit. You’ll also do any required vision or knowledge testing during that same visit. Each printed copy carries its own barcode, tied to your application, which is why the form is marked “DO NOT DUPLICATE” and why it’s issued to you rather than printed at home.

What Each Part of the Driver License DL 44 Form Covers

Knowing what’s coming makes the counter visit faster, even before your personal copy is printed.

• Part 1: Purpose for your visit. Check whether you want a driver license, an ID card, or a name change, and whether it’s an original, a renewal, or a duplicate.
• Part 2: Your information. Legal name, birth date, Social Security number, and both your mailing and residential addresses.
• Part 3: No Social Security number. Only fill this in if you’ve never been issued one and aren’t eligible for one.
• Part 4: Licensing needs. Basic Class C, motorcycle, a commercial class, or an ambulance certificate.
• Part 5: Eligibility questions. Past applications under a different name, any suspended or revoked license, and a medical-condition question, covered in more detail below.
• Part 6: Voter registration. A yes-or-no on registering to vote or updating your voter address.
• Part 7: Organ and tissue donor registry. A separate yes-or-no, unrelated to voter registration.
• Part 8: Parent or guardian signature. Only for applicants under 18.
• Part 9: Certification and signature. Signed at the counter, never beforehand.

The Questions on Part 5 That Confuse People

Three questions in Part 5 cause more hesitation than the rest of the form combined.

Applied under a different name or number before? This asks about any prior driver license or ID application in California or another state or country, under a different name or number, in the last ten years. Answer honestly and include your previous name or license information if the question applies to you.

Had a license cancelled, refused, delayed, suspended, or revoked? A “yes” here doesn’t automatically deny your application. DMV reviews the reason and date, so have the details ready rather than guessing at the counter. As part of reviewing any application, DMV also checks driving record status in other states through the National Driver Registry before issuing a California license.

Any of the listed medical conditions in the past five years? The back of the form lists specific conditions, including loss of consciousness, seizures, and certain vision or neurological conditions. Read the medical questions carefully and answer them honestly. If you answer yes, DMV may need additional information before completing your application.

Voter Registration and Organ Donor Questions

Parts 6 and 7 are separate questions and people often assume checking one covers both.

Saying yes to voter registration in Part 6 attaches a voter registration form to your application. Moving to a new county requires filling that attached form in; moving within the same county updates your record automatically.

Saying yes to organ and tissue donation in Part 7 adds you to the Donate Life California registry and puts a pink donor dot on your card. It’s entirely separate from the $2 voluntary contribution line, which just supports the donor program financially and doesn’t affect your registry status either way.

If the Applicant Is Under 18

Part 8 requires a parent or guardian signature for any applicant under 18. If both parents share joint custody, both have to sign, and both accept civil liability for the minor by doing so. Bring the parent or guardian to the field office visit, since this section is signed in person along with the rest of the form.

Does This Form Apply to REAL ID?

Yes. You use this same application when applying for a REAL ID-compliant license or ID card. You’ll need to provide the required proof of identity, Social Security number, and California residency documents, uploaded online or brought with you to the field office.

Frequently Asked Questions