States Requiring License Info

[Kram BergGold]

Last year I knew NY and RI required license info. I just learned that VT did as well. I filed at least 2 VT returns which were accepted without license info. For 2017 I will get that info. What other states require driver's license info?

[New York Enrolled Agent]

Last year I knew NY and RI required license info. I just learned that VT did as well. I filed at least 2 VT returns which were accepted without license info. For 2017 I will get that info. What other states require driver's license info?

Alabama is one.

[taxmom34]

I think Massachusetts is another

[ATSMAN]

I think Massachusetts is another

For 2017 tax season MA did not require Driver's License # on tax returns. I am not sure if they will require that for the 2018 tax season.

It is a good practice to get that information upfront. For all new clients I scan their Driver's License or State issued Pic. ID

[TaxGuyBill]

Most states ask for that information, but as far as I know, only Alabama, New York, Ohio, and Rhode Island require it to e-file (Federal requires some type of input, even if it is to say the taxpayer did not provide a driver's license).

Here is an Intuit article about it:

https://accountants-community.intuit.com/articles/1608863-state-agency-driver-s-license-and-state-id-expectations

[Bucky]

Ohio does also.

[Uncle Sam]

When I inquired about this to my software company (Ultra Tax) during the past tax season, I was told that for 2017 virtually every state was going to require it. I don't know how true that is, even at this point.

[taxmom34]

that's what I was told too. all states will be requiring it this coming season

[TaxGuyBill]

that's what I was told too. all states will be requiring it this coming season

Minnesota as specifically said it will not be required.

I suspect that whoever said that may have mixed up that most States are collecting that information (optional) versus being required.

[TAXNJ]

No license

Question. What about clients who do not drive and do not have a driver license?

[Bucky]

In Ohio if you don't have a drivers license they want your Ohio ID card number.

[Uncle Sam]

If the taxpayer has no driver, or non-driver license, there's a code to enter that states "Not Applicable".

[TAXNJ]

Yes

If the taxpayer has no driver, or non-driver license, there's a code to enter that states "Not Applicable".

Yes. So what is the purpose of driver license? If someone rather give your their employee badge or high school picture rather then their driver license would that be acceptable?

[Uncle Sam]

As you should well know - the primary purpose is to prevent identity theft fraud. Is it perfect? No.
As you should also know - it only works for e-filed returns.
I'm not the state authorities - ask them.

[David1980]

Yes. So what is the purpose of driver license? If someone rather give your their employee badge or high school picture rather then their driver license would that be acceptable?

Presumably the state could decide to do additional ID validation checks on those returns where no driver's license is available. High school pictures / employee badges aren't accounted for in the IRS schema, - my guess is a state could have the ability to validate that the driver's license information entered matches the information in the state's driver's license database, but would have no way to do so for an employee badge.