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Registry of Motor Vehicles - Identification Requirements

Accepted Identification Documents

To apply for a master number, Nova Scotia Photo Identification card or Nova Scotia Driver’s Licence, you will be required to show proof of your age and name.

The documents must be original (or certified true copy by the issuing agency or Citizenship and Immigration Canada) and satisfy the requirement for a primary identification document and two secondary identification documents.

However, some identification documents may be accepted for multiple purposes (that is, accepted as a primary piece of identification as well as a secondary piece of identification).

Below please find a list of acceptable documents to be used as primary, secondary or multiple purpose pieces of identification:

List 1 - To satisfy all three (3) identification requirements, you need:

One (1) document from List 1
  List 1 Primary
Age/Name
Secondary Secondary
1 Nova Scotia Photo Driver’s Licence and/or photo on file X X X
2 Nova Scotia Photo Identification Card and/or photo on file X X X
3 Valid Canadian Passport X X X
4 * Enhanced Driver’s Licence (British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, Michigan, New York, Vermont and Washington) X X X
5 Enhanced Provincial Identification Card (BC, MB) X X X
6 Canadian Citizenship Card (issued prior to Feb 1/12) X X X
7 Permanent Resident Card X X X

List 2 -To satisfy all three (3) identification requirements, you need:

Two (2) documents from List 2 OR
One (1) document from List 2 plus one (1) document from List 4
  List 2 Primary
Age/Name
Secondary Secondary
(Still Required)
8 Driver’s Licence from other Jurisdiction X X  
9 British Columbia Combined Driver’s Licence & Services Card X X  
10 British Columbia Services Card X X  
11 Valid Foreign Passport X X  
12 United States Passport Card X X  
13 Military Identification Card X X  
14 Record of Landing (IMM 1000) X X  

List 3 -To satisfy all three (3) identification requirements, you need:

One (1) document from List 3 plus two (2) documents from List 2 OR
One (1) document from List 3 plus one (1) document from List 2 plus one (1) document from List 4 OR
One (1) document from List 3 plus two (2) documents from List 4
  List 3 Primary
Age/Name
Secondary
(Still Required)
Secondary
(Still Required)
15 Government Issued Birth Certificate X    
16 Confirmation of Permanent Resident (IMM 5292) X    
17 Study Permit, Work Permit, Visitor Permit, Temporary Resident Permit or Refugee Protection Claimant (IMM 1442) X    
18 Certificate of Canadian Citizenship (issued as of Feb 1/12) X    
19 Certificate of Indian Status Card X    
20 Court Order (Legal Name, DOB, Court Seal) X    

List 4 - Supporting Documents cannot be used as Primary Identification. To satisfyall three (3) identification requirements, you need:

One (1) document from List 4 plus one (1) document from List 2 OR
Two (2) documents from List 4 plus one (1) document from List 3
Exceptions: One (1) Parental or Guardian Statutory Declaration, or One (1) Corrections Services Canada Identification Card plus one (1) document from List 3
  List 4 Primary
Age/Name
(Still Required)
Secondary Secondary
21 Parental or Guardian Statutory Declaration (reverse of Form 1)   X X
22 Correction Services Canada Identification Card   X X
23 British Columbia Non Photo Services Card   X
24 ** Nova Scotia College or University Photo Identification Card   X
25 Other identification card or vehicle registration containing client’s name and signature (i.e. bank card, credit card health card, etc.)   X
26 Other identification card or vehicle registration containing client’s name and signature (i.e. bank card, credit card health card, etc.)   X
27 Department of Community Services Income Assistance cheque or cheque stub made payable to the client. Cheque or case number must begin with the letters "IA"   X

* An Enhanced Driver’s Licence or Provincial Identification Card will indicate the word “Enhanced” at the top of the card. For more information see http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/EDL_map.html

** Nova Scotia Universities and Colleges photo cards that may be accepted without a signature include: Acadia University, Atlantic School of Theology, Cape Breton University, Dalhousie University, Kings College, Mount Saint Vincent University, Nova Scotia Agriculture College, NSCAD University, Nova Scotia Community College, ST. Francis Xavier University, Saint Mary’s University, and Université Sainte-Anne.

If your name has changed:

If the name appearing on the primary identification document (i.e. Birth Certificate) is different than the name requested (i.e. maiden name), the client must provide additional identification documents.

If your name has changed as a result of a marriage or domestic partnership, a Marriage Certificate or Domestic Partnership Certificate may be used as proof of a change in your name.

For all other name changes, an amended Birth Certificate or Change of Name Certificate from Vital Statistics (or equivalent from another jurisdiction) must accompany the application

Master Number

The term "Master Number" or "Client Master Number" refers to the number on your Driver's Licence or Vehicle Registration under the heading "Master".  For an individual, this 14-digit number is made up of

  1. the first 5 letters of your last name [if your last name has fewer than 5 letters, the difference is made up with spaces];
  2. plus the day / month / year of your birth;
  3. plus 3 computer-assigned numbers.

    For example: FINCH--220867001 [5 letters (Finch) + 22 (for 22nd) + 08 (for August, 8th month of the year) + 67 (for 1967) + 001 (3 computer-assigned numbers) ]

    For master numbers assigned to a group of individuals (joint ownership), the last 9 digits are computer-assigned.

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