How to Fill Out and Submit Alaska DMV Form D1: Documents and Fees

Alaska DMV Form D1 is the single application used to apply for a driver license, instruction permit, motorcycle endorsement, commercial driver license, or state identification card. You can download it from the Division of Motor Vehicles website and fill it out in advance, but you have to submit it in person at a field office along with your identity and residency documents, pass the required tests, and pay the fee.¹

Decide Between REAL ID and Standard First

Before you write anything on the form, pick which version of the credential you want. A REAL ID card carries a gold star in the upper-right corner and satisfies federal identification rules for boarding domestic flights and entering federal facilities. A standard card is marked “Federal limits apply” and won’t work for those purposes; you’d need a passport instead.²

The choice changes what you bring and what you pay. REAL ID requires two documents proving your Alaska residential address; the standard version requires one. REAL ID also costs $20 more across every credential type. If you already keep a valid U.S. passport for flights, the standard card is cheaper and lighter on paperwork.

Filling Out the Form

Use blue or black ink and print clearly. Staff will reject an application they can’t read or that has blank required fields.

Name, Description, and SSN

Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on your primary identity document. Any mismatch will stall the process. You’ll also fill in your date of birth, Social Security Number, sex, height, weight, hair color, and eye color.³

Your SSN has to match Social Security Administration records; the DMV verifies it electronically. If you’ve never been issued an SSN, you need a letter from the SSA confirming that.¹

Residential and Mailing Addresses

The form asks for both. Your residential address is printed on the card and has to be a physical location; PO boxes and mail-cache facilities don’t count. If your mailing address is the same, check the “Same as Mailing” box.³ The permanent card is mailed to the address you list, and the post office will not forward DMV mail.⁴

Medical Disclosure

Question 9 asks two health-related questions covering the last five years. First, whether you’ve had any medical condition, physical or mental impairment, seizure, or serious health problem that could affect safe driving. Second, whether you’ve been convicted of three or more drug or alcohol offenses under certain Alaska statutes. A yes to the medical question requires a physician’s verification that the condition is under control. A yes to the conviction question requires proof of completing a rehabilitative treatment program.³

Organ Donation and Voter Registration

Selecting “Yes” on the donor question adds you to the Alaska donor registry. Selecting “No” cancels any existing donor status on your record, so if you’re already registered and want to stay that way, leave it blank.³ A voter registration section is built into the DMV process so you can register or update your information at the same time.⁵

Credential Type

Check the box for the credential you’re applying for: instruction permit, driver license, motorcycle permit or license, commercial driver license, or state ID. The form handles all of them on a single sheet. Motorcycle endorsements involve a separate knowledge test and a road skills test on top of the standard exams, though a completed Motorcycle Safety Foundation course can waive the road test for up to one year.⁶

Documents to Bring

The DMV will not process your application without physical documents. Photocopies and faxes are not accepted; bring originals or certified copies.⁷

Primary Identity Document

Bring one of the following to prove your legal name, date of birth, and lawful presence:

Certified U.S. birth certificate from a vital statistics office
U.S. passport or passport card
Certificate of Citizenship, Naturalization, or Birth Abroad
Foreign passport with valid DHS immigration documents
Permanent resident card or USCIS employment authorization document

An existing Alaska instruction permit or state ID card also qualifies as a primary document.⁸

Proof of Alaska Residential Address

For a standard credential, bring one document showing your full name and Alaska residential address. For REAL ID, bring two, and they can’t be from the same source within the same billing cycle.⁹ Accepted documents include:

Utility bill, including a cell phone bill
Rental or lease agreement signed by both landlord and tenant
Employment documents such as a W-2 or hiring agreement
Alaska voter registration card
Alaska vehicle title or registration issued at least 30 days prior

You can redact account numbers and balances on financial documents.⁹

Social Security Verification

You list your SSN on the form and the DMV checks it against SSA records electronically. The DMV website does not specify that a physical Social Security card is mandatory, but if verification hits a snag, having your Social Security card or a W-2 showing your full SSN can help resolve it at the counter.¹

Name Change Paperwork

If your current legal name differs from what’s on your primary document, you need to bridge the gap with a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court-ordered name change. Multiple name changes require a chain of documents linking each name to the next.⁷

Fees

Driver or motorcycle license (non-commercial): $20 standard, $40 REAL ID
Instruction permit: $15 (no REAL ID version)
Permit renewal: $5
Commercial driver license: $100 standard, $120 REAL ID
State identification card: $15 standard, $35 REAL ID
State ID for age 60 and older: free for standard, $20 for REAL ID
Temporary license: $5

Renewal fees generally match the original issuance cost, with an added $1 for mail-in renewals.¹⁰

Submitting the Form in Person

Form D1 has to be submitted in person at a DMV field office. You can complete it beforehand, but the testing, photo, and document review all happen on-site.¹

Book an Appointment

The Alaska DMV runs an online appointment system where you pick a location and service type. Booking ahead can save a long wait, especially in Anchorage. If nothing is available online, call the DMV at 907-269-5551.¹¹

Vision Test

Every applicant takes a vision test at the office. A standard Class D license requires at least 20/40 acuity in both eyes together with your best correction. Weaker vision may lead to a referral to an eye specialist or a restricted license, and vision worse than 20/100 with best correction disqualifies you from any license.¹²

Knowledge Test

First-time license and permit applicants take a written knowledge test on Alaska traffic laws and road signs. The test has 20 questions and you need at least 16 correct to pass. The DMV posts a free online practice test that’s worth running through before your visit.¹³

Photo, Signature, and Payment

A DMV agent reviews your documents, confirms your SSN electronically, takes your photograph, and once everything checks out, you sign the application and pay the fee.

If the Applicant Is Under 18

Minors can apply for an instruction permit starting at age 14, with extra paperwork and parental involvement.¹⁴

Parental Consent

Under AS 28.15.071, a parent or legal guardian must sign the application for anyone under 18. The signing adult takes on full financial responsibility for damages the minor causes while driving, and that liability runs until the minor turns 18. If the parent or guardian can’t come to the DMV, their signature on the consent form (Form 433) must be notarized.¹⁵

The signing adult must also prove the relationship. Natural parents show the minor’s birth certificate. A legal guardian brings court appointment documents. A spouse who is at least 18 shows a certified marriage certificate. If both parents are out of state, a person with temporary custody can sign using a notarized power of attorney that specifically authorizes them to do so and states the parent accepts financial responsibility.¹⁴

Supervised Driving and Upgrading to a License

While practicing on an instruction permit, the minor must be with a licensed driver who is at least 21, has at least one year of experience with that vehicle type, and is sitting in the passenger seat.¹⁴ To upgrade from a permit to a provisional license, the parent or guardian certifies on the consent form that the minor has completed at least 40 hours of supervised driving, with at least 10 of those hours in inclement weather such as snow, ice, rain, or darkness.¹⁵ The parent or guardian can file a written request to cancel the minor’s license or permit at any time before the minor turns 18.

Requesting ADA Accommodations

If you need accommodations for a disability, the DMV can adjust the process. Options include early office opening, extended hours, head-of-the-line service, testing in a quieter back office, and paper-based knowledge testing instead of the computer version. Request accommodations at least seven days before your visit by calling 907-269-5551 and asking for the ADA accommodations manager.¹⁶

After You Apply

You won’t leave with a plastic card. The DMV issues a temporary paper document that acts as valid proof of your license or ID while the permanent card is produced at a central facility. The finished card is mailed to the address you listed on Form D1 and typically arrives within two to four weeks.⁴

You can track production at online.dmv.alaska.gov using your license or ID number.¹⁷ If nothing arrives within four weeks, check that the mailing address on your application was correct, since the post office will not forward DMV mail.

1
Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Your First Alaska Driver’s License
2
Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Real ID Update
3
Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Driver License, Permit or Identification Card Transaction Application
4
State of Alaska. License Renewal – Turning 21
5
Municipality of Anchorage. Voter Registration
6
Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Motorcycle Manual
7
Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Changing Identification Details
8
Division of Motor Vehicles. Identification Card
9
Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. REAL ID (Federally Compliant) Checklist
10
Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. License Fees
11
Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Office Appointment Menu
12
Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Eye Examination and Physician or Optometrist Vision Test Waiver
13
Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Sample Knowledge Test
14
Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Instruction Permit
15
Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Parent/Guardian Consent for a Minor
16
Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. ADA Accommodations
17
Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Central Issuance Card Tracking System