Authorizes the department of motor vehicles to accept a certificate of release or discharge from active duty issued by the United States department of defense (DD form 214), a veteran identification card issued by the United States department of veterans affairs, or a veterans health identification card issued by the United States department of veterans affairs from veterans of the military as acceptable proofs of identity when applying for a driver license or state identification card.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9419
IN SENATE
March 11, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing
the department of motor vehicles to accept certain documentation
issued to veterans of the military as acceptable proofs of identity
when applying for a driver license or state identification card
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic
2 law, as separately amended by chapters 158 and 440 of the laws of 2021,
3 is amended to read as follows:
4 1. Application for license. Application for a driver's license shall
5 be made to the commissioner. The fee prescribed by law may be submitted
6 with such application. The applicant shall furnish such proof of identi-
7 ty, age, and fitness as may be required by the commissioner. With
8 respect to a non-commercial driver's license or learner's permit which
9 does not meet federal standards for identification, in addition to the
10 acceptable proofs of age and identity approved by the commissioner as of
11 January first, two thousand nineteen, acceptable proof of identity shall
12 also include, but not be limited to, a valid, unexpired foreign passport
13 issued by the applicant's country of citizenship (which shall also be
14 eligible as proof of age), a valid, unexpired consular identification
15 document issued by a consulate from the applicant's country of citizen-
16 ship, [or] a valid foreign driver's license that includes a photo image
17 of the applicant and which is unexpired or expired for less than twen-
18 ty-four months of its date of expiration, a certificate of release or
19 discharge from active duty issued by the United States department of
20 defense (DD form 214), a veteran identification card issued by the
21 United States department of veterans affairs, or a veterans health iden-
22 tification card issued by the United States department of veterans
23 affairs, as primary forms of such proof. Nothing contained in this
24 subdivision shall be deemed to preclude the commissioner from approving
25 additional proofs of identity and age. The license shall display the
26 sex designation of M, F, or X as certified by the applicant, with no
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15183-01-6
S. 9419 2
1 additional documentation required. The applicant may amend the sex
2 designation of their driver's license upon request. Upon amendment of
3 the sex designation, the change shall be made consistent through all
4 affiliated records within the control of the department. The commission-
5 er may also provide that the application procedure shall include the
6 taking of a photo image or images of the applicant in accordance with
7 rules and regulations prescribed by the commissioner. In addition, the
8 commissioner also shall require that the applicant provide such appli-
9 cant's social security number or, in lieu thereof, with respect to an
10 application for a non-commercial driver's license or learner's permit
11 which does not meet federal standards for identification, an affidavit
12 signed by such applicant that they have not been issued a social securi-
13 ty number. The commissioner also shall provide space on the application
14 so that the applicant may request a notation upon such license that such
15 applicant is a veteran of the United States armed forces, and space on
16 the application so that the applicant may request a notation upon such
17 license that [he or she] such applicant is a veteran of the United
18 States armed forces, and space on the application so that the applicant
19 may register in the New York state organ and tissue donor registry under
20 section forty-three hundred ten of the public health law with the
21 following stated on the application in clear and conspicuous type:
22 "You must fill out the following section: Would you like to be added
23 to the Donate Life Registry? Check box for 'yes' or 'skip this ques-
24 tion'."
25 The commissioner of health shall not maintain records of any person
26 who checks "skip this question". Except where the application is made in
27 person or electronically, failure to check a box shall not impair the
28 validity of an application, and failure to check "yes" or checking "skip
29 this question" shall not be construed to imply a wish not to donate. In
30 the case of an applicant under eighteen years of age, checking "yes"
31 shall not constitute consent to make an anatomical gift or registration
32 in the donate life registry, except as otherwise provided pursuant to
33 the provisions of paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section forty-
34 three hundred one of the public health law. Where an applicant has
35 previously consented to make an anatomical gift or registered in the
36 donate life registry, checking "skip this question" or failing to check
37 a box shall not impair that consent or registration. In addition, an
38 applicant for a commercial driver's license who will operate a commer-
39 cial motor vehicle in interstate commerce shall certify that such appli-
40 cant meets the requirements to operate a commercial motor vehicle, as
41 set forth in public law 99-570, title XII, and title 49 of the code of
42 federal regulations, and all regulations promulgated by the United
43 States secretary of transportation under the hazardous materials trans-
44 portation act. In addition, an applicant for a commercial driver's
45 license shall submit a medical certificate at such intervals as required
46 by the federal motor carrier safety improvement act of 1999 and Part
47 383.71(h) of title 49 of the code of federal regulations relating to
48 medical certification and in a manner prescribed by the commissioner.
49 For purposes of this section and sections five hundred three, five
50 hundred ten-a, and five hundred ten-aa of this title, the terms "medical
51 certificate" and "medical certification" shall mean a form substantially
52 in compliance with the form set forth in Part 391.43(h) of title 49 of
53 the code of federal regulations. Upon a determination that the holder of
54 a commercial driver's license has made any false statement, with respect
55 to the application for such license, the commissioner shall revoke such
56 license.
S. 9419 3
1 § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
2 amended by chapter 597 of the laws of 2025, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 1. Application for license. Application for a driver's license shall
5 be made to the commissioner. The fee prescribed by law may be submitted
6 with such application. The applicant shall furnish such proof of identi-
7 ty, age, and fitness as may be required by the commissioner. With
8 respect to a non-commercial driver's license or learner's permit which
9 does not meet federal standards for identification, in addition to the
10 acceptable proofs of age and identity approved by the commissioner as of
11 January first, two thousand nineteen, acceptable proof of identity shall
12 also include, but not be limited to, a valid, unexpired foreign passport
13 issued by the applicant's country of citizenship (which shall also be
14 eligible as proof of age), a valid, unexpired consular identification
15 document issued by a consulate from the applicant's country of citizen-
16 ship, [or] a valid foreign driver's license that includes a photo image
17 of the applicant and which is unexpired or expired for less than twen-
18 ty-four months of its date of expiration, a certificate of release or
19 discharge from active duty issued by the United States department of
20 defense (DD form 214), a veteran identification card issued by the
21 United States department of veterans affairs, or a veterans health iden-
22 tification card issued by the United States department of veterans
23 affairs, as primary forms of such proof. Nothing contained in this
24 subdivision shall be deemed to preclude the commissioner from approving
25 additional proofs of identity and age. The license shall display the
26 sex designation of M, F, or X as certified by the applicant, with no
27 additional documentation required. The applicant may amend the sex
28 designation of their driver's license upon request. Upon amendment of
29 the sex designation, the change shall be made consistent through all
30 affiliated records within the control of the department. The commission-
31 er may also provide that the application procedure shall include the
32 taking of a photo image or images of the applicant in accordance with
33 rules and regulations prescribed by the commissioner. In addition, the
34 commissioner also shall require that the applicant provide such appli-
35 cant's social security number or, in lieu thereof, with respect to an
36 application for a non-commercial driver's license or learner's permit
37 which does not meet federal standards for identification, an affidavit
38 signed by such applicant that they have not been issued a social securi-
39 ty number. The commissioner also shall provide space on the application
40 so that the applicant may request a notation upon such license that such
41 applicant is a veteran of the United States armed forces, and space on
42 the application so that the applicant may request a notation upon such
43 license that such person is a veteran of the United States armed forces,
44 and space on the application so that the applicant may register in the
45 New York state organ and tissue donor registry under section forty-three
46 hundred ten of the public health law with the following stated on the
47 application in clear and conspicuous type:
48 "You must fill out the following section: Would you like to be added
49 to the Donate Life Registry? Check box for 'yes' or 'skip this ques-
50 tion'."
51 The commissioner of health shall not maintain records of any person
52 who checks "skip this question". Except where the application is made in
53 person or electronically, failure to check a box shall not impair the
54 validity of an application, and failure to check "yes" or checking "skip
55 this question" shall not be construed to imply a wish not to donate. In
56 the case of an applicant under eighteen years of age, checking "yes"
S. 9419 4
1 shall not constitute consent to make an anatomical gift or registration
2 in the donate life registry, except as otherwise provided pursuant to
3 the provisions of paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section forty-
4 three hundred one of the public health law. Where an applicant has
5 previously consented to make an anatomical gift or registered in the
6 donate life registry, checking "skip this question" or failing to check
7 a box shall not impair that consent or registration. Additionally, the
8 commissioner shall ensure that space is provided on the application for
9 a driver's license or renewal thereof to advise applicants of the exist-
10 ence of the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program established in
11 42 U.S.C. Section 274k or the national marrow donor program ("registry
12 operator") and to allow for applicants to consent to sharing their
13 information with the registry operator for the purposes of receiving
14 information from the registry operator about enrolling as a potential
15 volunteer bone marrow or blood cell donor on the national registry. Such
16 information related to the consenting applicant shared with the registry
17 operator shall be limited to first and last name, date of birth, email
18 address, and physical address. In addition, an applicant for a commer-
19 cial driver's license who will operate a commercial motor vehicle in
20 interstate commerce shall certify that such applicant meets the require-
21 ments to operate a commercial motor vehicle, as set forth in public law
22 99-570, title XII, and title 49 of the code of federal regulations, and
23 all regulations promulgated by the United States secretary of transpor-
24 tation under the hazardous materials transportation act. In addition, an
25 applicant for a commercial driver's license shall submit a medical
26 certificate at such intervals as required by the federal motor carrier
27 safety improvement act of 1999 and Part 383.71(h) of title 49 of the
28 code of federal regulations relating to medical certification and in a
29 manner prescribed by the commissioner. For purposes of this section and
30 sections five hundred three, five hundred ten-a, and five hundred ten-aa
31 of this title, the terms "medical certificate" and "medical certif-
32 ication" shall mean a form substantially in compliance with the form set
33 forth in Part 391.43(h) of title 49 of the code of federal regulations.
34 Upon a determination that the holder of a commercial driver's license
35 has made any false statement, with respect to the application for such
36 license, the commissioner shall revoke such license.
37 § 3. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 3 of section 490
38 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 487 of the laws of
39 2012, is amended to read as follows:
40 (i) The commissioner shall upon submission of an appropriate applica-
41 tion, upon payment of the prescribed fee, and upon being satisfied that
42 the person described is the applicant and that such applicant meets the
43 requirements set forth in subdivision two of this section, issue to such
44 applicant a nontransferable identification card. In addition, the
45 commissioner also shall require that an applicant for an identification
46 card or renewal thereof provide [his or her] such applicant's social
47 security number. The commissioner shall provide space so that an appli-
48 cant may request a notation upon such identification card that [he or
49 she] such applicant is a veteran of the United States armed forces. For
50 purposes of verifying that the person described is the applicant pursu-
51 ant to this subparagraph, the department shall accept from an applicant
52 a certificate of release or discharge from active duty issued by the
53 United States department of defense (DD form 214), a veteran identifica-
54 tion card issued by the United States department of veterans affairs, or
55 a veterans health identification card issued by the United States
56 department of veterans affairs.
S. 9419 5
1 § 4. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
2 have become a law; provided, however, that section two of this act shall
3 take effect on the same date and in the same manner as section 2 of
4 chapter 597 of the laws of 2025, takes effect. Effective immediately,
5 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
6 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
7 authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.
