What the SAVE America Act Would Mean for Driver’s Licenses and Voter Registration

As the Senate debates the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act — commonly called the SAVE America Act — social posts and statements from lawmakers have given conflicting impressions about whether driver’s licenses would still work for federal voter registration.

The claim

Some lawmakers and social posts have said the bill would bar the use of driver’s licenses to register to vote. Others say that claim is false.

What the SAVE Act would actually require

The SAVE Act would require applicants registering to vote in federal elections to provide “documentary proof of United States citizenship.” Acceptable documentation listed in the legislation includes a U.S. passport, a military ID, or a government-issued photo ID that explicitly states the applicant’s place of birth. In some cases, the bill would require additional supporting documents to prove citizenship.

Driver’s licenses: when they would and wouldn’t work

Most standard state driver’s licenses do not include an explicit citizenship marker, and so alone they would generally not satisfy the bill’s documentary-proof requirement.

However, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs) — a special type of license that affirms both identity and U.S. citizenship — could be used where they are issued. According to the Department of Homeland Security, only five states currently issue EDLs: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington. A small number of other states have considered or passed measures to add citizenship markers to licenses.

“Most driver's licenses... are not designed to prove your citizenship,” said Pamela Smith, president and CEO of Verified Voting.

Experts also note that many REAL IDs do not explicitly state citizenship, and lawful noncitizen residents can obtain REAL IDs, so most REAL IDs would not automatically be sufficient under the SAVE Act unless they affirm citizenship.

Concerns and context

Supporters of the bill, including former President Donald Trump and other Republicans, argue the measure is needed to prevent noncitizen voting, which is already illegal in federal elections and can carry serious penalties. Prosecutors and researchers say proven cases of noncitizen voting are rare.

Opponents counter that the documentary-proof requirement could create burdens for eligible voters who lack ready access to birth records, passports or other documents. A recent survey cited in public reporting estimated that more than 9% of voting-age Americans — about 21.3 million people — do not have ready access to documents proving U.S. citizenship.

The SAVE America Act passed the House in April 2025 and is under debate in the Senate. Lawmakers, advocates and election officials continue to dispute how the measure would be implemented and what exemptions or state-level accommodations would be needed to prevent eligible voters from being disenfranchised.

Note: Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) exchanged contrasting posts about the law’s effects: Duckworth warned that ordinary driver’s licenses would be excluded, while Lee pointed to provisions directing states to create processes for applicants who cannot provide the required citizenship proof. The truth is more nuanced: some licenses that explicitly show citizenship could still be used, but most would not.