For I-9 verification you bring either one document from List A, or one document from List B plus one from List C. That’s the whole rule. List A proves both who you are and that you can work (like a passport). List B proves identity and List C proves work authorization, so together they do the same job. You choose which documents to show, not your employer. Here is exactly what counts and what to bring to your appointment.
Quick note: Form I-9 is officially titled the Employment Eligibility Verification form. If you have seen it called that, it is the same document.
1 The A-or-B-and-C rule
Form I-9 groups acceptable documents into three lists, and the rule is simple: a single List A document is enough on its own, because it proves both identity and permission to work. If you do not have a List A document, you provide a combination instead, one List B document (identity) and one List C document (work authorization). You never need documents from all three lists.
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2 List A documents
List A documents establish identity and employment authorization at the same time. Common examples include:
- A U.S. passport or U.S. passport card.
- A Permanent Resident Card (green card).
- A foreign passport with the proper work-authorization endorsement or accompanying document.
- An Employment Authorization Document (EAD) with a photo.
3 List B and List C
If you use the combination route, you need one from each:
| List B (identity) | List C (work authorization) |
|---|---|
| Driver license or state ID | Social Security card (unrestricted) |
| Government photo ID | Birth certificate (U.S.) |
| School ID with photo | Certain DHS or federal work-authorization documents |
So a driver license (List B) plus a Social Security card (List C) is a very common valid combination. For the full official lists in English, Spanish, and Mandarin, see our I-9 acceptable documents guide.
4 What to bring
- Originals, not copies. I-9 requires unexpired original documents (a limited receipt rule is an exception).
- Unexpired. An expired document does not count.
- Your choice. Bring whichever valid A, or B and C, documents you have.
- Names that match. If your name changed, be ready to explain or show supporting documents.
5 Common mistakes
The biggest one, on the employer side, is telling an employee exactly which documents to bring, or asking for a specific document like a green card. That is not allowed. The employee chooses from the acceptable lists. Other mistakes: bringing expired IDs, bringing photocopies instead of originals, and bringing documents from all three lists thinking more is better. If you are a new hire being verified, just bring your valid documents and let the authorized representative check them.
Want every acceptable document in one place?
Our downloadable guide lists every List A, B, and C document in English, Spanish, and Mandarin, with the selection rule and the employer do-not-over-ask reminder, so you know exactly what to bring, and what an employer can and cannot ask for.
Which Documents Can You Bring for I-9?
The full List A, B, and C in English, Spanish, and Mandarin, with the selection rule and the employer do-not-over-ask reminder. Instant PDF download.
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One document from List A, or one from List B plus one from List C. List A proves identity and work authorization together; B plus C does the same in two documents.
Is a driver license enough for I-9?
Not by itself. A driver license is a List B (identity) document. You also need a List C document, like an unrestricted Social Security card, or a single List A document instead.
Can my employer tell me which documents to bring?
No. You choose which acceptable documents to present. Employers cannot demand specific documents or over-ask.
Do the documents have to be originals?
Yes, unexpired originals, with a limited exception for certain receipts. Photocopies are not accepted.
Related: the full I-9 acceptable documents list and I-9 verification in NYC.
More on I-9 verification: I-9 verification in NYC, I-9 acceptable documents, and what I-9 employment eligibility verification is.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Acceptable documents and I-9 rules are set by USCIS and can change. Confirm the current Form I-9 lists before relying on this.
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What the employee chooses, and what you may not do
The employee decides which documents to present. That is the rule that generates most discrimination claims, because well meaning employers get it backwards.
You may not specify which document you would prefer, ask for more documents than the form requires, reject a document that reasonably appears genuine and to relate to the person, or ask for documents earlier than the process allows. Those behaviours are document abuse, and they are actionable regardless of intent.
What you may do is hand the employee the Lists of Acceptable Documents and let them choose.
Receipts
An employee may present a receipt for a replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged document. The receipt is valid for 90 days, and the period runs from the employee’s first full day of employment, or from the date reverification was required, rather than from the day the receipt was handed over.
Note that a receipt for an application for an initial grant of work authorization is different from a receipt for a replacement document, and the two are not treated the same way.
Copies
Keeping copies of the documents presented is optional, but the choice has to be applied consistently to every employee regardless of national origin or citizenship status. Doing it selectively is itself a discrimination exposure.
If you participate in E-Verify you must retain copies of any document triggering photo matching. And once you have made copies, do not shred them. They are retained with the form.
The three day rule, and the exception
Section 1 is due by the end of the employee’s first day of work. Section 2 is due within three business days of that first day, counting the first day as day zero.
The exception catches short assignments. If somebody is hired for fewer than three business days, Section 2 must be completed by the end of their first day. There is no grace period for a one or two day job, which affects employers using day labor, event staff and short term contractors treated as employees.
If a document expires later
Reverification is required before a temporary work authorization expires, and it is recorded on Supplement B rather than Section 3, which is what the current form calls it.
Do not reverify United States citizens, noncitizen nationals, or lawful permanent residents. A green card can expire while permanent residence does not. And List B identity documents never trigger reverification, so an expired driver license is not a reason to ask for anything. See reverification and Supplement B.
Also worth reading: E-Verify vs Form I-9, I-9 audits and ICE Notices of Inspection, reverification and Supplement B, and the three-day rule.