Between “drivers license” and “driver’s license,” the correct form is driver’s license, with an apostrophe before the s. That’s the spelling in Merriam-Webster, in federal law, and in every major style guide. “Drivers license” without the apostrophe shows up constantly in casual writing and search bars, but it isn’t the standard form. Confusingly, about 30 states print a third version, “driver license,” on the physical card itself.
Why the Apostrophe Belongs There
The apostrophe signals possession. The license belongs to a specific driver, the same way a doctor’s appointment belongs to a specific patient. It’s the singular possessive, and it’s how English usually handles a credential tied to one person. When you talk about the documents collectively, the apostrophe moves after the s: “drivers’ licenses.” The REAL ID Act of 2005 uses both forms this way, singular possessive for one person and plural possessive for the group.1U.S. Department of Homeland Security. REAL ID Act of 2005
“Drivers license” with no apostrophe treats “drivers” as an attributive noun describing the type of license, the way “sports” describes a car or “savings” describes an account. That construction isn’t broken English, but it isn’t the conventional form for this phrase. Merriam-Webster lists only “driver’s license.”
How Federal Law Spells It
Every major federal source uses the apostrophe. The REAL ID Act defines the term directly: “The term ‘driver’s license’ means a motor vehicle operator’s license, as defined in section 30301 of title 49, United States Code.”1U.S. Department of Homeland Security. REAL ID Act of 2005 Federal trucking regulations follow suit, defining a “commercial driver’s license (CDL)” as a state-issued credential authorizing operation of a commercial motor vehicle.2eCFR. 49 CFR Part 383 – Commercial Drivers License Standards
Agencies that accept the card as ID use the same spelling. USCIS tells employers to abbreviate “driver’s license” as “DL” on Form I-9.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. 13.2 List B Documents That Establish Identity The Social Security Administration lists “driver’s license” as acceptable proof of identity on Form SS-5.4Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card
Why Your Card May Say Something Different
Here’s the wrinkle that trips people up. Even with the federal government consistently using “driver’s license,” about 30 states print “driver license” on the actual card. Not the plural, not the possessive, just “driver license” as a flat compound with no s at all. The other states use either “driver’s license” or a different term like “operator license.”
No version is legally weaker than another. A card printed “driver license” in one state carries the same weight as one printed “driver’s license” in another. Law enforcement, courts, and federal agencies treat the document identically regardless of what label the state chose. The variation is administrative drafting style, not legal substance.
What Style Guides Recommend
Both the Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style recommend “driver’s license” with the singular possessive. Chicago’s editors have specifically addressed the mismatch between the dictionary form and what states print, and they default to “driver’s license” regardless of what a particular card looks like. For journalism, academic writing, or any formal publication, the possessive form is the safe choice.
Legal drafting follows a narrower rule. An attorney working with a specific state’s vehicle code often mirrors whatever that code uses, apostrophe or not, so there’s no ambiguity about which statute is being cited. If the law says “driver license,” the brief says “driver license.” That’s a precision habit, not a grammar preference.
Which Spelling to Use
For anything formal, write “driver’s license.” It’s the dictionary form, the federal form, and the form every major style authority recommends. You won’t be wrong using it on a résumé, a legal document, a cover letter, or a school paper.
For searching online or filling in a web form, any version works. Search engines return the same results for “drivers license,” “driver’s license,” or “driver license,” and online forms rarely reject an answer based on punctuation. The only time to deliberately use a different spelling is when you’re quoting a specific statute or referencing the exact label on a specific card. Otherwise, stick with the apostrophe.