Proof of Citizenship to Register to Vote (SAVE Act)

Right now, most Americans don’t have to show a birth certificate or passport to register to vote. Under federal law, you swear on the registration form that you’re a U.S. citizen, and election officials check your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number against state and federal records.

That could change. The SAVE America Act would require documentary proof of citizenship for new registrations in federal elections. As of November 2026, it had passed the House but not the Senate. A few states already ask for citizenship documents on their own.

Current Rules vs. the SAVE America Act

	Current federal rules	Under the SAVE America Act, as passed by the House
How you prove citizenship	Sign a sworn statement on the form	Show a citizenship document
Where you can register	Online, by mail, at the DMV, in person	Proof would generally have to be shown in person
ID numbers on the form	License number or last four of SSN (HAVA)	Still required
Status (November 2026)	In effect	Not law; awaiting Senate action

Supporters say documentary proof would keep noncitizens off voter rolls. Critics say many eligible citizens don’t have a passport or a birth certificate on hand, and that married women whose names have changed would face extra hurdles. If a version becomes law, expect a phase-in period and new state procedures.

A separate 2025 executive order tried to add a proof-of-citizenship requirement to the federal mail registration form. Federal courts blocked that part of the order.

Documents That Usually Count as Proof

If your state asks now, or if federal rules change, these are the documents most likely to be accepted:

• U.S. passport or passport card. The simplest single document. See our passport application documents if you don’t have one.
• Certified U.S. birth certificate. It must be a certified copy, not a photocopy or hospital certificate. Order one through our birth certificate documents guide.
• Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship. Lost yours? The N-565 replacement process covers both. Children who became citizens through a parent can apply for one with Form N-600.
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad, for citizens born overseas to American parents.
• Enhanced Driver’s License, issued by a few states, which shows citizenship.

A standard REAL ID card doesn’t prove citizenship. Green card holders and some visa holders can get REAL IDs too, so the star alone isn’t enough. Our REAL ID documents guide explains what the card does and doesn’t show.

The Name-Change Problem

Birth certificates show the name you were born with. If you’ve married, divorced, or legally changed your name, your birth certificate won’t match your current ID. In states that require proof of citizenship, you may need to bring the document linking the names:

• A certified marriage certificate
• A divorce decree that restores a former name
• A court order for a legal name change

If you’ve changed names more than once, you may need each document in the chain. Our name change documents guide explains how to order them.

States That Already Ask for Documents

A handful of states have their own proof-of-citizenship rules, and the list keeps changing through new laws and court rulings.

State	What it does
Arizona	Requires proof of citizenship to vote in state and local races. Registrants without it can vote only in federal races.
New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming	Reported to require citizenship documents for new registrations, with details differing by state
Several others	Check registrations against DMV or federal SAVE database records and ask for documents only if something doesn’t match

Check your state election office’s website before you register, especially if you’ve moved.

How to Get Ready

You don’t need to do anything to stay registered if you’re already on the rolls. But it’s smart to:

1. Find your citizenship document. Know where your passport or certified birth certificate is.
2. Order missing records now. Vital records offices can take weeks by mail. If you were born in Puerto Rico, birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010 are no longer valid, so order a new one.
3. Match your names. Gather marriage or name change documents if your birth name differs from your current one.
4. Check your registration status. Most states have an online lookup.

Registering is a separate step from voting. Even if you register without documents, many states require photo ID at the polls; see voter ID requirements by state.

Quick Takes

You asked: Will I have to re-register if the SAVE America Act passes? Short answer: Not automatically. As written, its main changes apply to new registrations and updates.

You asked: Is my Social Security card proof of citizenship? Short answer: No. Social Security cards are issued to noncitizens too.

You asked: Can I use an expired passport? Short answer: Some states accept an expired U.S. passport as proof of citizenship. Rules vary, so check first.

You asked: Where do I start if I just want to register? Short answer: Our voter registration documents guide walks through today’s requirements step by step.