G en. 139] 139

The Mar yland Vehic le L aw is codifie d in titl es 11 through 27 of 1 the Tra nsportation Article ( “TR”) of the Annotated Code of Ma ryland.

A ne w res ident of

Mary land may driveon a lic e ns e iss ue d in 2 another state during the f

irst 60 day s of re sidencein Maryland; a member (continued...) VEHI CLE L A WS

L I CE NS I NG

– I MMI GRA T I ON R E L AT E D D OCUM ENTS M AY B E U S ED AS P R O O F OF I DENTI T Y OF A PPL I CA NT FOR D RI V ER ’ S L I CENSE ; L AW FUL R ESI DENCE I N THE U NI T E D S TATE S N OT A C OND I T I ON F OR I SS UA NC E OF D RI V ER ’ S L I CENSE

Sept ember12, 2003

The H onor abl e Ana SolG ut i ér r ez H ous e of D el egat es

Y o u h a v e a sk e d f

o r o u r o p in io n w h e th e r th e M o to r V e h icle A dm i ni s t r at i on ( “M V A ”) m ay r equi r e i ndi vi dual s w ho pr es ent for e i g n i d e n t i f

i c a t i o n a s p a r to f

a n a p p l i c a t i o n f

o ra M a r y l and d riv e r’s lice n se to p ro d u c e d o c u m e n tatio n th a t th e ya re leg a lly pr es enti n t he U ni t ed St at es as a condi t i on of i s s uance of a l i cens e.

In o u r o p in io n , the M V A m a yre q u ire su c h in d iv id u a ls to pr ovi de addi t i onal evi dence of i dent i fi cat i on and m aysp ec i fy i m m i gr at i on-rel at ed document s among t he ac cept abl e form s of i dent i fi cat i on

. H ow ever , t he M V A m aynotdenya l i cens e t o an in d iv id u a l b e c a u se h e o r sh e is u n a b le to p ro v e law f u l p re se n c e in t h i s c o u n t r y.

I

S tat u tory P rereq u i si tes for a D ri ver’s L i cen se

U ndert he M ar y l and V ehi cl e Law , an i ndi vi dual m aynotdr i ve 1

or at t empt t o dr i ve i n M ar y l and unl es s t he per s on hol ds a M ar y l and dr i ver ’ s l i cens e or i s exempt fr om t he l i cens i ng r equi r ement s of t hat l aw

. T R §1 6-101 (a)

. M anyof th e e x e m pti on s encom pass i ndi vi dual s w ho have r ece nt l yar r i ved i n M ary land, w ho dr i ve 21 4 0 [8 8 O p

. A tt ’y

(...continued) 2

o f th e ar m e d f o r c e s wh o r e tur

n s f r o m f o r e i gnd uty m ay dri v e f

o r 3 0 d ays without a Maryland license . TR §16-102(a) (6), ( 8).

SeeTR §16-102(a) (3) (i n dividuals driving f arm tra ctors, dock 3 equipment, and similar vehic les); TR §16-102(a)(4) (individuals driving mobile cra

nes).

SeeTR §16-102(a) (1)( fede ral e mployees driving on official 4 business); TR §16-102(a) (11) (members of the Mary land National Gua

rd drivingmilit ary

vehicles a s part of the ir duties).

Therearealso exemptions for members of Congress from other 5 states who temporari ly

reside in Ma

ryland, and membe rs of the a rmed forc es or Public Health Ser vice who are license d in their home states. See TR §1 6-10 2( a)( 2) , ( 7) ; se eals o TR § 16 -1 02 (a)( 5) (s tud e nts e nroll e d in
sc ho ol i n M ary

land or a bo rd e ri ng st ate who havedrivi ngprivi le g e s in their home states)

. par t i cul art ypes o f v ehi cl es , orw ho dr i ve vehi cl es fora par t i cul ar 3 p u rpo se. A n u m b er o f t h e ex em p ti o n s co v er d ri v ers w h o are

4 dom i ci l ed and l i cens ed i n ot herj ur i s di ct i on s. For exampl e, an ind ividu al w h o reside s in a n o ther state an d h as a v ali d d ri v er’s l i cens e fr om t hats t at e i s notr equi r ed t o obt ai n a M ar y l and l i cens e. T R §16- 102( a) ( 9)

. Si m i l ar l y , a per so n w ho r es i des out s i de t he U n ited S tate s a n d h a s a v a lid lice n se f ro m th a t co u n trym a yd riv e in M ar y land w i t houtobt ai ni ng a M ar y l and l i cens e. T R §16- 1 0 2 (a)(10 ). 5

T hese prov i si on s, i n effect, m ake a M ary l and dri ver’ s l i cense a pr er equi s i t e t o dr i vi ng i n M ar y l and fora M ar y l and r es i dentand for
a no n-r esi den tw ho i s not l i censed el sew here. W hil e a person m ust g ive a “M ary land reside n ce ad d ress” in an ap p li ca ti o n fo r a d ri v er’s l i cens e, T R §16- 106( b) ( 1) , t he l aw does not r equi r e t hata per s on be
a r es i dentof t he St at e t o be l i cens ed her e i f he or s he i s notl i cens ed
e ls e w h e re

. In an y event , t he def

i ni t i on of M ar y l and “r es i dent ” i n t he M ar y l and V ehi cl e L aw does not i ncl ude any r efe r ence to the in d iv id u a l’ s s ta tu s u n d e r th e f e d e ra l im m ig ra tio n la w s

. See T R §11- 1 4 9 . R a th e r, itse ts f

o rth se v e ra l alte rn a te te sts : (1 ) th e d riv e r is d o m icile d in M a ry lan d – th a t is , th a t th e in d iv id u a l li v e s in M ary l and and i ntends t o st ay ; (2) he or she ow ns, l eases, or r ents a p ri m aryreside n ce in M ary land an d h as re s id ed in the S tat e f o r aG en. 139] 141

The MVA ha s included among the permissible primary source s 6 of identi fi c atio n th e fo llo wi ngimm igra tio n- re late d doc uments : a va lid fo r e ign p a s s p o rt, a c e rti f ic ate o f U

. S. c itiz e n s h ip , a c e r ti f icate of natura liz ation, an alien reg is tration rec eipt card, an employ ment authorization card or document, a te mporary resident c ard, a

nd a re fug ee’ s arrival/depar

ture c ard. COMAR 11.17.09.04D( 1)(k) -(r). y ear , r egar dless o f w het hert he i ndi vi dual i nt ends t o s t ay ; ( 3) t he in d iv id u a l m a in tain s a m a in o r b ra n c h o f f ice o r w a re h o u se f

a c ili ty i n M a r y l a n d a n d b a s e s a n d o p e r a t e s mot o rv e h i c l e s i n t h e St a t e ; or ( 4) the d ri v erhas fi l ed as a M ary l and r es i dentfori ncome t ax p u rp o s e s

. Id

. Fi nal l y , w hil e t he l aw l i s t s a var i et yof di s qual i fi cat i ons for l i cens ur e, t he i nabi l i t y t o s how l aw ful pr es ence i n the cou ntryi s n ot on e of t hem

. T R §§ 16 -103 an d 1 6-103

. 1. T hu s, a dr i v e r n e e d n o t p r o v e t h a t h e o r s h e i s l a wfu l l y p r e s e n t i n t he U ni t ed St at es i n or dert o be a r es i dent of M ar y l and for purpos es of t h e M a r y l a n d Ve h i c l e L a w.
A n appl i cat i on for a dr i ver ’ s l i cens e i s m ade on a for m devi s ed byt he M V A

. T R §16- 106( a)

. T he appl i cat i on m us t inc l ude t he appl i cant ’ s ful l name, M ar y l and r es i dence addr es s , empl oy er , r ace , s ex, he i g h t , wei g h t , g e n e r a l p h y s i c a l c o n d i t i o n , a n d d a t e o f b i r t h,
w het hert he appl i canthas pr evi ous l ybeen r efus ed a l i cens e t o dr i ve an d i f s o , i n wha t s t a t e o r c o u n t r y , whe t h e r t h e a p p l i c a nt has p r e v i o u s l y b e e n l i c e n s e d t o d r i v e , a n d i f s o , i n w h a t s t a t e o rc o u n t r y, and “[ a] nyot herper t i nent inf or m at i on t hatt he A dm i ni s t r at i on requ ir es. ” T R §1 6-106 (b)

. A n ap pli cant for a l i cense m ustal so su b m it a “ b irth c e rtific a te o r o th e r p ro o f o f a g e a n d id e n tityth a t is
s at i s fac t oryt o t he A dm i ni s t r at i on. ” T R §16- 106( d)

. A s par tof t he appl i cat i on pr oces s , t he M V A m ayr eques t d ri vi ng r ecor ds fr om anot herj ur i s di ct i on i n w hi ch t he per s on has been l i cens ed t o dr i ve. T R § 1 6 -1 0 6 (e ).

T he M V A has adopt ed r egul at i ons el abor at ing on t he
re q u ir e m e n t th a t a n a p p lic a n t p ro v id e p ro o f o f a g e a n d id e n tity. See C O M A R 1 1 .1 7 .0 9 . In g e n e ra l, ap p lica n ts m u st p ro v id e b o th a b irth
c e rt if ic a te a n d a t le a s t o n e o th e r “ p ri m a ry s o u rc e o f id e n tif ic a tio n .” C O M A R 11. 17. 09. 04A ( a)

. A for ei gn- bor n appl i cantm us tpr ovi de t w o pr i m ar y– orone pr i m ar yand t w o s econda r y– so ur ces of i dent i fi cat i on. C O M A R 11. 17. 09. 04A ( 7)

. T he r egul at i ons i dent i fy 21 “pr i m ar y ” s our ces of i dent i fi cat i on, i ncl udi ng m anyi m m i g r a t i onrel at ed d ocu m ents

. 61 4 2 [8 8 O p

. A tt ’y

See In theMa tte r o

f H e ili g , 372 Md. 692, 697 n.2, 816 A.2d 68 7 (2003) (s tro ng ly

sug g estingthat the MVA should not permit a g ender de signatio n o n a

lic e ns e that di ff

e rs from the indivi du a l’ s b ir th c e rtif ic ate in light of the useof driver ’s license s as a f orm of identification). The Michig an Attorney Gene ral has rea ched a similar conclusion 8 with respec t to Michiga

n law. 1995-96 Mich. Op. Atty . Gen. 120, 1995 WL756150 (1995) ( although Michig an law prohibited i s s uanceof lic e ns e s to “ no n- re sid e nts ,”an il le g a l a lie n ma y e sta bli shre sid e nc e in Mic hig an and

qu a lif y fo r a lic e ns e ). B y

c ontr a st, Ge org ia

law e xplic itl y state s th at an indi vid

ua l doe s not q

ua lif y a s a “ re sid e nt”fo r p ur

po se s o f i ts vehicle law unl ess the person is a citiz en or a lawful immi grant. See J ohn Do e 1 v . Ge or

gia De pa rtm e nt o

f Pub licSa

fe ty , 147 F. Supp. 2d 1369 (N.D. Ga . 2 00 1) ; se eals o L azos Varg as, Missouri, the “W ar on Terrorism,” and Immigrants: Legal Challenges Post 9/11 , 67 Mo. L .Rev. 775, 7 9 8 -807 (2002) (discussing rec ent state developments on whether lack o f l egal immigration status shoul d disqualify an applica

nt for drive r’s lice nse). II

A n a ly sis

T he M ar y l and V ehi cl e Law i s des i gned t o cont r ol m ot or v e h ic le tr a f

f ic o n th e s tr e e ts a n d h i g h w a y s o f M a ryla n d

. B

yr d v. S ta te , 1 3 M d

. A p p

. 2 8 8 , 2 9 3 , 2 8 3 A .2 d 9 (1 9 7 1 ), cer t

. deni ed , 264 M d. 746 ( 1972)

. A l t hough dr i ver ’ s l i cens es ar e fr equent l y us ed as a form of i dent i fi cat i on, t he pr i m ar ypurpos e of t he dr i verl i cens i ng 7 requi rem ent i s t o all ow t he S t at e som e regul at orycon t rol ov er tho se w ho oper at e mot orvehi cl es t o ens ur e dri vercompet encyand t her eby p ro m o te p u b lic s a f

e ty. R u g g les v . S ta te , 120 M d. 553, 561, 87 A

. 2d 1080 ( 191 3 ). Pr oof of the dr i ver ’ s l aw ful r es i dence i n M ar y l and does not appea r t o be re l at ed t o t he l at t er purpos e. A ccor di ngl y , t he M ar y l and V ehi cl e Law does notr equi r e t hatan appl i cant demonst r at e law ful r es i dence i n M ar y l and as a condi t i on fort he i s s uance of a dr i ver ’ s l i cens e. 8

N o r do es f

ed era l law p rec lud e t h e i ssu an ce o f a state d ri v er’s l i cens e t o an undocum ent ed i m m i gr ant

. A 1996 amendm entof t he I m m i gr at i on and N at i onal i t yA ct expr es s l ybar s a s t at e fr om pr ovi di ng gr ant s , cont r act s , l o a n s , pr ofes s i onal l i cens es , comm er ci al l i c e n s e s , o ra n yr e t i r e me n t , wel f a r e , h e a l t h , d i s a b i l i t y , p u b l i c or as s i s t ed hous i ng, pos t s econdaryeduca t i on, orfood as s i s t ance benef i t s t o i l l egal al i ens unl es s s t at e l aw i s expr es s l yamended aft er A u g u s t 2 2 , 1 9 9 6 to p r o v i d e s u c h b e n e f its

. See 8 U

. S. C

. §1621( c)G en. 139] 143

L awf ul re sid e nc e in t

heUn ite d St ate s is e ff

e c tiv e ly a pr e re qu isi te 9 fo r o btaini nga

c omm e rc ial dri ve r’ s li c e ns e (“ CD L ” ). In p artic ula r, in
acc ordanc e with fe deral regulations a nd State law, an individual apply ing for a CDLmust ordinarily provide a social security number as par t of the application. See 49 CFR §383.153(d)( 1); TR §16- 810(b)(1 ). T hat require ment does not a

pply to a n applicant f

or a “ non-re sident CDL ” – i.e. , a licenseavailableto a driver domiciled in a fore ign c ountry that does not is su e it s o wn C DLun der c ert ainmi ni mum s tan dard s

. 4 9 CFR §383.183(d)( 2); TR §16-817(d). a n d (d ). D riv e r’s lice n se s a re n o tice a b lya b s e n t f ro m th is list. 9 Inst ead, a f

e d eral l aw passed i n the sam e sess i on of C on gress per m i t s t he s t at es t o “conduc tpi l otpr ogr ams t o det er m i ne t he vi abi l i t y , advi s abi l i t y , and cos t

- eff ect i venes s of t he St at e’ s deny i ng dr i ver ’ s l i cens es t o al i ens w ho ar e notl aw ful l y pr es enti n t he U ni t ed St at es

. ” Pub. L

. 104- 208, D i v. C , T i t l e V , §502, 110 St at

. 3009- 671 ( Sept ember 30, 1996)

. M ar y l and has notadopt ed s uch a pi l ot p ro g ra m

. A s note d a b ov e, an ap pli cat i on for a dri ver’ s l i cense m ust i n c l u d e “ a n yo t h e rp e r t i n e n ti n f o r ma t i o n ” r e q u e s t e d b yt h e M VA. In a d d iti o n , the M a ry lan d V e h icle L a w a u th o riz e s th e a g e n c yto
r equi r e s ubm i s s i on of “pr oof of .

. . i dent i t y t hat i s s at i s fac t or y t o t he [ M VA]

. ” Th u s , t h e Le g i s l a tu r e h a s a c c o r d e d t he M V A s o me di s cr et i on t o det er m i ne w hati nfor m at i on m us tacc om panyan app l i cat i on for a dri ver’ s l i cense an d to i nv est i gate anypri or l i cense h e ld b yth e in d iv id u a l.

M any i m m i gr at i on- r el at ed document s ar e i s s ued onlyupon s ubm i s s i on of det ai l ed i nfor m at i on conce r ni ng t he i dent i t yand backgr ound of an i ndi vi dual

. For exampl e, t o obt ai n per m anent
r es i dents t atus an i ndi vi d u al m us tpr ovi de ext ens i ve bi ogr aphi cal i nfor m at i on, be phot ogr aphed a nd fi ngerpr i nt ed, and s ubm i tcopi es o f a b ir th c e rt if

ic a te a n d p a s s p o rt , a m o n g o th e r t h in g s

. See B ur eau of C i t i zens hi p and I m m i gr at i on Ser vi ces For m 1- 485 and In stru c tio n s. A lth o u g h law f u l re sid e n c e sta tu s is n o t a p re re q u isite for a dr i ver ’ s l i cens e, t he M V A coul d det er m i ne t h at of fi ci al i m m i gr at i on- r el ated doc um ent at i on i s hel pful i n es t abl i s hi ng a per s on’ s i dent i fi cat i on and, w hen ot hers at i s fac t or ydocument at i on i s unavai l abl e, coul d r equi r e s uch i nfo rm at i on. H ow ever , an a p p lica n t’s in a b ili tyto p ro v e law f u l p re se n c e in th e U n ited S tate s is noti t s el f gr ounds fordeni al of a l i cens e.1 4 4 [8 8 O p

. A tt ’y

III

C oncl usi on

In o u r op inion , the M V A m ayreq u ir e a n ap p li ca n t fo r a M a ry lan d d riv e r’s lice n se w h o lac k s a d o m e stic b irth c e rtific a te to pr ovi de al t er nat i ve form s of i dent i fi cat i on and mayi ncl ude i m m i gr at i on- r el at ed document s am ong t he ac cept abl e form s of id e n tif ic a tio n . H o w e v e r , u n d e r t h e M a ryla n d V e h ic le L a w , a p e rso n ’s in a b ili tyto e sta b lish law f u l p re se n c e in th e U n ited S tate s is nota bas i s fordeny i ng t hatper s on a dr i ver ’ s l i cens e.

J. Jo sep h C u rran , Jr. A t t or ney G ener al

Ka t h r yn M

. Ro we A s s is ta n t At to r ney G ener al

R o b e rt N . M c D o n a ld C hi ef C ouns el O pi ni ons and A dvi ce

E di tor ’s N

ote:

T h e c o n clus ion s in this o p inion m ay b e af fe cted b y the S tat e’s i m pl ement at i on of t he R ea l ID A ctof 1005, Publ i c Law ( 09- 13, D ivisi o n B ).