NY DMV Form MV-45, the Statement of Identity and/or Residence by Parent/Guardian, lets a parent or legal guardian vouch for an under-21 applicant who can’t reach the DMV’s six-point identity threshold on their own. You download the form, fill in every field except the signature, and bring it to a DMV office along with your child and both parties’ supporting documents. A DMV representative watches you sign. Done correctly, the form adds four points to the applicant’s identity total on the ID-44 scale.
One thing to settle up front: MV-45 does not prove date of birth. The form itself says so. Your child still needs a separate document, such as a U.S. birth certificate or passport, that establishes when they were born. Without that, no amount of parental vouching will get them through the counter.
Who the Form Is For
MV-45 is available to any applicant under 21 who can’t meet the identity requirements on Form ID-44, or the name-proof requirements on Form ID-82, using their own documents. Typical situations: a teenager with no photo ID, a young person whose documents only carry low point values, or a minor whose birth certificate name doesn’t line up with other records because of adoption or a legal name change.
If the applicant is 21 or older, or is in foster care or has a qualifying disability, see the MV-45A note below. Those situations use a different form.
What the Applicant Needs to Bring
MV-45 fills a gap in the point total. It doesn’t replace the applicant’s own documents.
Proof of Date of Birth
At least one document from the ID-44’s accepted list must establish when the applicant was born. Common options:
- A U.S. birth certificate issued by a state or local government (hospital certificates don’t count).
- A U.S. passport or passport card, which also carries four identity points.
- A Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship (Forms N-550, N-560, N-561, N-570).
- A foreign passport meeting the DMV’s specific requirements on page three of the ID-44.
- A foreign birth certificate issued by a government entity. This proves date of birth only and cannot be used for a REAL ID or enhanced credential.
Several other documents qualify for date-of-birth proof only, including an unexpired Permanent Resident Card, a U.S. military photo ID, or a photo driver license from another U.S. state or Canadian province. The full list is in Section B of the ID-44.
Social Security Documentation
New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 502 requires every permit or license applicant to provide a Social Security number. An original Social Security card satisfies the rule and earns two identity points. If the applicant knows the number but doesn’t have the card, they can provide the number alone, but it earns zero points. Applicants who were never issued a number can submit the DMV’s affidavit of non-issuance (Form NSS-1 or NSS-1A) or a Social Security Administration ineligibility letter (Form SSA L-676).
Enough Points to Reach Six
MV-45 gives four points. The DMV requires six. So the applicant needs at least two more points from other documents. A Social Security card (two points) plus one one-point document, such as a bank statement or pay stub, is enough. A U.S. passport by itself covers it. Add up Section B and Section C totals on the ID-44 before leaving the house.
What the Parent or Guardian Needs to Bring
The adult who signs the form has to prove their own identity at the counter. The easiest route is a valid New York State driver license, learner permit, or non-driver ID card. Any current New York photo credential carries six points on its own. A parent who doesn’t hold a valid New York photo ID has to assemble enough documents to reach six points on the ID-44 the same way any other applicant would.
When a legal guardian rather than a biological or adoptive parent signs, the DMV may ask for court-issued guardianship papers to confirm the relationship. Bring the originals. The DMV doesn’t accept photocopies of court orders.
Extra Residency Proof for REAL ID or Enhanced Licenses
If the applicant is going for a REAL ID or enhanced driver license rather than a standard permit, there’s an additional proof-of-residency requirement on top of MV-45. The document has to be in the applicant’s name or the parent or guardian’s name and show the same address listed on the form. A utility bill, bank statement, or piece of official mail works.
Filling Out the Form
Download the current MV-45 from dmv.ny.gov. Check the version date in the lower-left corner. It should read “MV-45 (2/26).” If yours is older, grab a fresh copy. The DMV updates accepted-document lists and instructions from time to time.
The applicant section asks for three things: full legal name, current residential address, and date of birth. Print clearly. The name has to match exactly what appears on the date-of-birth document. If the birth certificate says “Jonathan” and your child goes by “Jon,” write “Jonathan.” A mismatch between the form and the supporting documents is one of the fastest ways to get sent home.
The parent or guardian section asks for your full legal name, your relationship to the applicant, and contact information. The certification language confirms you are vouching for the applicant’s full name and residence, and that to your knowledge the applicant has not obtained or applied for a permit, non-driver ID, or license in any other name.
Fill in every informational field at home. Leave the signature line blank. The form prints a warning in bold: “IMPORTANT: DO NOT SIGN THIS FORM UNTIL YOU ARE WITH A MOTOR VEHICLES REPRESENTATIVE.” A pre-signed form will be rejected, which means a second trip to the office. This is the most common mistake people make with MV-45.
At the DMV Office
Both the applicant and the signing parent or guardian have to appear together. There’s no workaround. The DMV will not accept the form if the parent mails it in or drops it off separately. The DMV strongly encourages making a reservation online at dmv.ny.gov before visiting. Some offices only admit people with reservations when wait times are long.
At the counter, hand over the completed but unsigned MV-45 along with the supporting documents for both of you. The representative reviews everything, confirms the parent or guardian’s identity, and then watches the parent sign. Once the signature is witnessed and the combined documents clear the six-point threshold, the identity portion of the transaction is done. If the applicant is there for a learner permit, the written knowledge test happens the same day.
When to Use MV-45A Instead
A related form, MV-45A, serves applicants of any age who are in the custody of a local commissioner of social services, including foster care, or who have intellectual or physical disabilities and are represented by a foster parent, guardian, or government facility representative. It works the same way: the authorized representative accompanies the applicant to the DMV, signs in front of a representative, and provides identity documentation. Like MV-45, it covers identity and residence only, not date of birth. The difference is eligibility. MV-45A has no age cap. MV-45 is limited to applicants under 21.
Penalty for a False Statement
The certification language on MV-45 warns that making a false statement or submitting false documentation “may be punishable as a criminal offense.” Under New York Penal Law Section 210.45, knowingly making a false statement on a form that carries a legal notice about penalties is a Class A misdemeanor. A conviction can mean up to one year in jail, probation, or a fine. The form exists because the state is willing to accept a parent’s sworn word in place of documentary proof, and that willingness rests on the criminal penalty behind the signature.