The California DMV’s secondary review is the backup verification process used for AB 60 driver’s license applicants whose documents don’t clear the department’s standard electronic identity checks. It exists because Vehicle Code Section 12801.9 requires the DMV to issue a license to anyone who proves identity and California residency, even without authorized federal immigration status.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code Section 12801.9 If your paperwork falls outside the DMV’s digital verification channels, secondary review is how you still get the license.
Why Your Application Ends Up in Secondary Review
The AB 60 application works in tiers. The DMV first tries to verify your identity electronically using documents it can check digitally with the issuing government, such as certain foreign passports, consular cards, and national ID cards. If that fails, you can try two approved foreign documents the DMV accepts without electronic verification. When neither path works, the application moves to secondary review under 13 CCR Section 16.06.2New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. California Code of Regulations Title 13 Section 16.04 – Primary Identification Documents
You don’t choose this track. The counter technician decides, and once your documents fall short of the primary and secondary tiers, your file shifts over automatically. The usual reasons: an expired foreign passport, a consular card version the DMV can’t verify electronically, or simply not having the specific documents on the primary list. Secondary review is a safety net written into the regulations, not a flag against you.
Identity Documents to Bring
Secondary review opens the door to a much wider range of identity evidence than the standard tiers. Under the regulations, you can use any of the following:3Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 13 Section 16.06 – Secondary Review
- A foreign passport, even if expired, along with consular identification cards, foreign national ID cards, or foreign driver’s licenses. Foreign driver’s licenses not in English need a certified translation or affidavit of translation.
- Original birth certificates or adoption records from any country.
- Marriage licenses, domestic partner registrations, or divorce decrees. Non-English documents require a certified translation.
- School records from public or private schools at any level, as long as they show your date of birth. Sealed foreign school records with a photo from the time of enrollment also qualify.
- U.S. government documents including DHS asylum applications (Form I-589), student eligibility certificates (Forms I-20 and DS-2019), court documents naming you as a party, income tax returns, and driver’s licenses from other states.
- Any photo identification card issued by a U.S. government entity at any level.
Documents that list a family member instead of you can still work if you can trace the relationship back to your name with a birth certificate, adoption record, or marriage license.3Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 13 Section 16.06 – Secondary Review If your name has changed, bring a court-ordered name change decree or marriage certificate that bridges the old and new names.4California Courts. Update Your Identity Documents
The DMV investigator also has case-by-case discretion to consider documents outside the standard list if they help confirm who you are. Bring everything you have, not just what you think fits.
Proving You Live in California
Identity is only half of what secondary review tests. You also have to show you currently live in California. The statute points to utility bills, a lease or rental agreement, and property tax bills as core examples.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code Section 12801.9 The DMV also accepts:
- Pay stubs, W-2 forms, or other employer-issued records showing your California address.
- Enrollment documents or transcripts for you or your children at a California school.
- Medical records or insurance policies that include your full name and current residential address.
- Bank statements or other financial institution documents.
- Anything issued by a local, state, or federal agency showing your California address, including IRS or California Franchise Tax Board returns.
- Mortgage statements or property deeds showing California property ownership.
Keep the dates recent. The regulations don’t fix an exact day count, but documents from the last two to three months are the safest bet. Variety carries more weight than volume from a single source. A utility bill alone is weaker than that same bill paired with a bank statement and a school enrollment record. What the investigator looks for is a consistent pattern: your name, at the same California address, across unrelated sources.
The Interview
Secondary review includes an in-person interview at the DMV.5California Department of Motor Vehicles. AB 60 Driver’s Licenses Staff review your physical documents and may ask about your background, how you obtained the records, and your ties to California. Some applicants describe it as mostly a quiet document review; others get more detailed questions.
Bring originals or certified copies from the issuing agency. Photocopies won’t do. Documents in any language other than English need a certified translation or affidavit of translation attached. Organize everything in chronological order so the reviewer can follow a clean timeline from your birth records forward to your current California address.
Language help is available at no cost. For a foreign language interpreter, call 1-800-777-0133 during regular business hours to schedule the appointment. For American Sign Language, call 1-800-735-2929 through the California Relay Service from a TDD phone, or 1-800-735-2922 from a voice phone.6California Department of Motor Vehicles. Interpreter Services
Temporary License and the Wait
You won’t walk out with a final answer. If the DMV sees no reason to refuse the application while it finishes verifying your documents, it issues a temporary driver’s license good for up to 60 days.7Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 13 Section 16.14 – Temporary License You can legally drive on it while review continues, with no restrictions beyond those on any standard California license.
After approval, the permanent card is mailed. Standard DMV card production runs roughly two to four weeks.8California Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License and ID Card Online Renewal Verification itself can take days or weeks before that mailing clock starts, so the total time from your interview to card in hand can run well past a month. If your 60-day temporary is close to expiring and nothing has arrived, check your application status online or contact the DMV directly.
What the License Can and Can’t Do
Every AB 60 license is marked “Federal Limits Apply” on the front and “Not Acceptable for Official Federal Purposes” on the back. It is not a REAL ID, and since REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025, that distinction matters.9Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions You cannot use it to board domestic flights through TSA, enter federal buildings that require ID, or access military installations. For flying, you’ll need a U.S. passport, passport card, or another TSA-accepted ID.
California law also bars anyone from using an AB 60 license as evidence of citizenship or immigration status. Employers, landlords, and law enforcement cannot demand it to determine your status.10Office of the Attorney General, State of California. Consumer Alert Regarding the Use of Federal Limits Apply Driver Licenses For driving in California, buying auto insurance, and any purpose where a state-issued license is called for outside the federal context, the license is fully valid.
If You’re Denied
Vehicle Code Section 12801.9 requires the DMV to maintain a hearing process for denials of a license or temporary license.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code Section 12801.9 A denial comes with written notice explaining the reasons and your options, which may include submitting more evidence or requesting an administrative hearing.
Read the stated reason carefully. Most denials trace back to an incomplete paper trail rather than a basic eligibility problem, which means a second application with a broader set of documents often succeeds where the first one didn’t. Look at the specific gap the investigator identified and target it with records you didn’t bring the first time.