Colorado Makes It Easier For Undocumented Immigrants To Get A Driver’s License Without SSN
State is removing the need for drivers to show a valid social security number in the hope that more undocumented immigrants will take a driving test
March 27, 2025 at 12:20
- Colorado is cutting the number of hoops drivers have to jump through to get a license.
- Undocumented immigrants no longer need a Social Security Number or a tax return.
- The state hopes more immigrants will go for a driving test, making roads safer.
President Trump and his administration want to banish millions of undocumented immigrants from the US, but 1,700 miles (2,740 km) west of Washington, Colorado lawmakers are giving foreigners an olive branch. They’re making it easier for the immigrants to legally drive on public roads.
From the end of this month, undocumented immigrants will find it much easier to get a driver’s license in the state. A safety-focused bill approved by Gov. Jared Polis last summer and active from March 31 removes the need for anyone applying for a license to show a valid social security number.
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Applicants also no longer need to have filed a Colorado income tax return or demonstrate proof of residency in the state for two years. Instead, immigrants can sign an affidavit that they are currently residents in the state and only need to show a passport, military ID, or other ID cards from their home country.
Colorado lawmakers hope that allowing more immigrants to take to the road legally will make the roads safer. Because it’s been difficult for them to get a license up until now, many undocumented immigrants take to the road without one, or any insurance.
And almost 40 percent of the fatal crashes in Colorado in 2024 involved drivers with no valid license, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) figures reported by CBS News.
By making it easier for immigrants to apply for a license, the state hopes many more will choose to sit a driving test that will better prepare them for the public roads, reducing the chances of them and other drivers being hurt or killed in collisions. Unlike normal driver’s licenses, however, these permits do not allow a person to legally drive in another state.
There are still other hurdles potentially preventing immigrants from getting licenses, including a lack of money and possible language barriers. But as 9News’s video report shows (above), there are dual-language driving schools that can at least deal with that second issue.
Colorado isn’t the only state to allow undocumented immigrants to apply for a license. Eighteen other states already have a simplified application process.
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