If you’re wondering where your ID number is on your ID, it’s printed on the front of most cards, usually near the top by your photo or name. The exact spot and the label used for it change from one document to the next, and a few IDs carry more than one number that could plausibly be called an “ID number.” Below is where to look on each of the common U.S. identification documents, and which number to use when a form asks.
Driver’s License or State ID Card
On a driver’s license or state-issued ID, the main identification number is almost always on the front, near the top of the card and close to your photo, name, or date of birth. States label it differently. You’ll see “License No.,” “ID No.,” “DLN,” or just “DL.” Some states print a phrase like “DRIVER LICENSE” directly above the number. The number itself usually runs six to twelve characters. It’s often all digits, but a handful of states use an alphanumeric format that starts with a letter, frequently the first letter of your last name.
This number stays with you. Renewing your license or replacing a lost card usually doesn’t change it, because the number is tied to you rather than to the physical card.
Other Numbers on Your License That Aren’t Your License Number
Most licenses carry several strings of numbers, and two of them cause constant confusion.
The document discriminator, sometimes labeled “DD,” verifies the card’s authenticity. It’s generated from when and where the license was issued, and it changes every time you get a new card. It usually sits on the back of the license or near the bottom of the front, often in smaller print than the license number. The audit number is similar: a short string, often four digits, printed near your physical description details like eye color and height. Neither is your license number, and neither should be entered on a form that asks for your driver’s license or state ID number.
When a form asks for your “driver’s license number,” use the number near the top of the front, next to one of the labels above.
U.S. Passport Book
Your passport number is in the upper-right corner of the biographical data page, which is the page with your photo, name, and date of birth. On next-generation passport books issued since 2021, the number is nine characters: one letter followed by eight digits. The same number repeats at the bottom of each page throughout the book.1U.S. Department of State. Information About the Next Generation U.S. Passport
Older passport books issued before the redesign may have a number that’s all digits rather than starting with a letter. It’s in the same spot: upper-right of the data page.
U.S. Passport Card
A U.S. passport card has its own nine-character document number, separate from any passport book you also hold. The number is printed on the front of the card. The machine-readable zone on the passport card is on the back, unlike the passport book, where the machine-readable zone shares the data page with the printed number.2U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP Rail APIS Document Guidance
Because the book and the card carry different numbers, check which document you’re actually referencing when a form asks for your “passport number.”
Military ID Cards
Uniformed Services ID cards carry two distinct numbers, and using the wrong one can get a healthcare claim denied.
- The DoD ID Number is a 10-digit number printed on the front of the card. This is your general military identification number.
- The DoD Benefits Number is an 11-digit number printed on the back of the card. This is the one you need for verifying TRICARE eligibility and filing healthcare claims.
If you submit a TRICARE claim using the 10-digit front number instead of the 11-digit back number, the claim can be denied. When a provider or form asks for your “benefits number” or “sponsor ID,” flip the card over.3TRICARE. Showing Your ID to Providers
Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
The main identification number on a green card is the USCIS Number, which is the same as the Alien Registration Number, commonly called the A-Number. On cards issued after May 2010 it’s labeled “USCIS#” and appears on the front of the card.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Number
The A-Number is a unique identifier assigned by the Department of Homeland Security. It can be seven, eight, or nine digits long, though nine is most common on current cards.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. A-Number/Alien Registration Number/Alien Number A shorter A-Number is the same number with leading zeros dropped.
Don’t confuse the A-Number with the three-digit category code or the card expiration date also printed on the card. And if you’ve received notices from USCIS about a pending application, those notices carry a separate 13-character receipt number used for tracking your case. That’s not your A-Number.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Receipt Number
Social Security Card
Your Social Security Number is printed across the center of the card, directly below your name, in a nine-digit format separated by hyphens: three digits, two digits, then four digits (XXX-XX-XXXX).7Social Security Administration. RM 10201.030 Structure of the Social Security Number
The Social Security Number is the most sensitive identification number you carry. A compromised license number or passport number causes headaches; a compromised SSN opens the door to tax fraud, credit applications, and long-term identity theft. Keep the card at home unless you specifically need it that day.
Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI Cards
If you carry a Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI card, your membership number, also called the PASS ID, is on the back of the card in the upper-left corner.8U.S. Customs and Border Protection. TSA PreCheck This is the same number you enter in an airline’s “Known Traveler Number” field to get TSA PreCheck printed on your boarding pass.
People commonly search the front of the card for this number. Flip it over: upper-left on the back.9Department of Homeland Security – Trusted Traveler Programs. Frequently Asked Questions
Finding Your ID Number Without the Card
If your card is lost, stolen, or just not in front of you, you have a few ways to recover the number.
- Previous paperwork often carries it. Your driver’s license number shows up on traffic tickets, vehicle registrations, insurance cards, and old tax returns in some states. Your passport number appears on visa stamps and copies of immigration forms you’ve filed.
- Many state DMV online portals let you log in and view your license number after verifying your identity.
- If you’ve ever scanned or photographed your ID for an application, that image likely still has the number on it. Check your email for attachments sent to landlords, employers, or insurance companies.
- If an employer completed an I-9 form when you were hired, they recorded your document number. HR can look it up, though they may need to verify your identity first.
For a Social Security Number specifically, you can request a replacement card or verify your number through a my Social Security account at ssa.gov. When a form asks for your document number and demands an exact match, enter it precisely as it appears on the card, including any letters, dashes, or leading zeros.10E-Verify. Driver’s License and State-Issued Identification Card Verification in E-Verify