Acceptable forms of ID

The following ID policy exceptions apply only to candidates testing in Brazil:

Candidates testing in Brazil are not required to present renewal paperwork with an expired ID. However, they must still present identification that meets all other ID requirements listed in an exam sponsor's client reference.

In Brazil, do not turn candidates away for presenting an expired ID that meets all other identification requirements. Simply create a case explaining that the expired ID was allowed because the candidate was testing in Brazil. When you create the case, select these options:

Admissions/Check-in

Problem with candidate ID

Expired

The following paper-based IDs issued by the Federal Government of Brazil are acceptable:

Cédula de identidade (also known as the "carteira de identidade")

Brazil driver's license

If a candidate testing in Brazil presents one of these IDs, the ID still must meet all other ID requirements listed in an exam sponsor's client reference.

See the image below for an example of the cédula de identidade. Older versions may appear slightly different.

Identification requirements vary between exam sponsors. Many exam sponsors follow one of Pearson VUE's standard ID policies, which are described in this section. However, some exam sponsors have unique ID policies that are not standard.

Always refer to the exam sponsor’s client reference and admission steps to determine which ID policy to use.

This section provides information on the Pearson VUE standard identification (ID) policies. Test administrators must follow these policies when checking in candidates at test centers. There are three tables to reference in this section:

Tables 1-2: Former Standard ID Policy & Pearson VUE Global ID Policy

The first two tables contain the standard ID policies that many exam sponsors follow.

Table 3: Additional Information Regarding All ID Policies

The information in this table applies to both the Former Standard ID Policy and the Pearson VUE Global ID Policy. It includes clarification on the following topics:

Local-language (non-Roman or non-English) IDs
IDs that are missing a required signature
Expired IDs
Aadhaar IDs
UK passports with observations
IDs that are unacceptable, such as damaged IDs or those issued from sanctioned countries

TABLE 1: Former Standard ID Policy
IMPORTANT: Refer to this table when a client reference notes "Standard list" as the exam sponsor's ID policy. General ID requirements for the Former Standard ID Policy: All IDs must be valid (not expired) and must be an original document (not a printed paper copy, photocopy, fax, or digital ID). IDs are valid (not expired) if they do not contain an expiration date that has passed. If there is no expiration date on an ID, it is valid. Primary IDs: Must contain a permanently affixed photo of the candidate and the candidate's signature. (If the ID does not have a signature, see Rules for Missing Signatures in Table 3.) Candidates are generally required to provide a primary ID containing a photo. This includes when candidates request to not have their photograph taken during the admissions process (and the exam sponsor permits this). Secondary IDs: If the exam sponsor requires a secondary ID, it must contain the candidate's signature.
Universally accepted IDs (primary or secondary)	These IDs are universally acceptable for candidates testing inside or outside their country of citizenship. The ID must be in Roman characters. Passport U.S. passport card U.S. military ID (including military ID for spouses and dependents)
Primary ID	Government-issued driver's license, including temporary licenses with all required elements Note: Refer to Additional Information on Expired Identification for an exception when presented with a Texas driver's license that carries two expiration dates. U.S. Dept. of State driver's license U.S. learner's permit (PVC card only with photo and signature) National/state/country identification card Passport Passport cards Military ID Military ID for spouses and dependents Alien registration card (green card, permanent resident, visa) Government-issued local language ID (PVC card with photo and signature) Employee ID* School ID* Credit card* A credit card can be used as a primary form of ID only if it contains both a photo and a signature and is not expired. Any credit card can be used as a secondary form of ID, as long as it contains a signature and is not expired. This includes major credit cards, such as VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. It also includes department store and gasoline credit cards. *These forms of identification cannot be used as primary identification unless specifically indicated in the exam sponsor's client reference.
Secondary ID	U.S. Social Security card Debit/(ATM) card Credit cards Any form of ID on the Primary list

TABLE 2: Pearson VUE Global ID Policy
IMPORTANT: Refer to this table when a client reference notes Policy 1, 1S, 2, or 2S as the exam sponsor's ID policy. General ID requirements for the Pearson VUE Global ID Policy: All IDs must be original (not a paper-based, photocopy, or digital ID) and valid (unexpired). IDs are valid (unexpired) if they do not contain an expiration date that has passed. If there is no expiration date on an ID, it is valid. Primary IDs must be issued from the country in which the candidate is testing (except for EU cards). If candidates do not have a primary ID from the country in which they are testing, they must present their international travel passport. The passport must be issued from the candidate's country of citizenship, and the information on the passport must be in Roman characters. Secondary IDs can be issued from outside the country in which the candidate is testing. These IDs must be in Roman characters so that test administrators understand them. Otherwise, they are unacceptable.
Policy 1: Primary ID required
Primary ID	Primary ID must be government issued and include the candidate's name, recent, recognizable photo, and signature. International travel passport Driver's license Note: Refer to Additional Information on Expired Identification for an exception when presented with a Texas driver's license with two expiration dates. Military ID (includes spouse and dependents) Identification card (national/state/province ID card) Alien registration card (green card/permanent resident/visa) Government-issued local language ID (not in Roman characters): accepted only if issued from the country the candidate is testing in Exceptions (Additional Allowances): European Union candidates testing in the EU Zone: EU card Candidates testing in Japan: See the policy at https://www.pearsonvue.co.jp/Test-takers/Tutorial/Identification-1.aspx IDs without required signatures: See Rules for Missing Signatures in Table 3.
Policy 1S: Primary and secondary IDs required
Primary ID	Primary ID must be government issued and include the candidate's name, recent, recognizable photo, and signature. International travel passport Driver's license Note: Refer to Additional Information on Expired Identification for an exception when presented with a Texas driver's license with two expiration dates. Military ID (includes spouse and dependents) Identification card (national/state/province ID card) Alien registration card (green card/permanent resident/visa) Government-issued local language ID (not in Roman characters): accepted only if issued from the country the candidate is testing in Exceptions (Additional Allowances): European Union candidates testing in the EU Zone: EU card Candidates testing in Japan: See the policy at https://www.pearsonvue.co.jp/Test-takers/Tutorial/Identification-1S.aspx IDs without required signatures: See Rules for Missing Signatures in Table 3.
Secondary ID	Any ID containing at least a name and signature or name and recent, recognizable photo that follows the ID requirements at the beginning of this table. For example, bank/debit cards and credit cards are acceptable if the following conditions are true: The card meets the ID requirements at the beginning of this table. The card contains a name and signature or a name and recent, recognizable photo. Exceptions (Additional Allowances): Candidates testing in Japan: See the policy at https://www.pearsonvue.co.jp/Test-takers/Tutorial/Identification-1S.aspx IDs without required signatures: See Rules for Missing Signatures in Table 3.
Policy 2: Primary ID required
Primary ID	Primary ID must include the candidate's name, recent, recognizable photo, and signature. Passport Driver's license Note: Refer to Additional Information on Expired Identification for an exception when presented with a Texas driver's license with two expiration dates. Military ID (includes spouse and dependents) Identification card (national/state/province ID card) Alien registration card (green card/permanent resident/visa) School ID Employer ID Professional license Bank card Insurance company card Government-issued local language ID (not in Roman characters): accepted only if issued from the country the candidate is testing in Exceptions (Additional Allowances): European Union candidates testing in the EU Zone: EU card Candidates testing in Japan: See the policy at https://www.pearsonvue.co.jp/Test-takers/Tutorial/Identification-1.aspx IDs without required signatures: See Rules for Missing Signatures in Table 3.
Policy 2S: Primary and secondary IDs required
Primary ID	Primary ID must include the candidate's name, recent, recognizable photo, and signature. Passport Driver's license Note: Refer to Additional Information on Expired Identification for an exception when presented with a Texas driver's license with two expiration dates. Military ID (includes spouse and dependents) Identification card (national/state/province ID card) Alien registration card (green card/permanent resident/visa) School ID Employer ID Professional license Bank card Insurance company card Government-issued local language ID (not in Roman characters): accepted only if issued from the country the candidate is testing in Exceptions (Additional Allowances): European Union candidates testing in the EU Zone: EU card Candidates testing in Japan: See the policy at https://www.pearsonvue.co.jp/Test-takers/Tutorial/Identification-1S.aspx IDs without required signatures: See Rules for Missing Signatures in Table 3.
Secondary ID	Any ID containing at least name and signature or name and recent, recognizable photo that follows the ID requirements at the beginning of this table. For example, bank/debit cards and credit cards are acceptable if the following conditions are true: The card meets the ID requirements at the beginning of this table. The card contains a name and signature or a name and recent, recognizable photo. Exceptions (Additional Allowances): Candidates testing in Japan: See the policy at https://www.pearsonvue.co.jp/Test-takers/Tutorial/Identification-1S.aspx IDs without required signatures: See Rules for Missing Signatures in Table 3.

TABLE 3: Additional Information Regarding All ID Policies
Note: The information in this table is applicable to all ID policies (both the Former Standard ID Policy and the Pearson VUE Global ID Policy).
Rules for Local Language Identification
Some exam sponsors allow candidates to present primary IDs in a local language (non-Roman or non-English). These IDs may be in the local language only, or they may be in both Roman characters and in the local language. Examples of local language IDs include (but are not limited to) the following: Korea (driver's license, resident card, citizen card) Hong Kong SAR ID China (national ID, military ID, driver's license) India (driver's license, voter ID, PAN card, Aadhaar ID) Note: For more information about verifying Aadhaar IDs, see Additional Requirements for Aadhaar IDs in this table. Malaysia driver's license Verifying Local Language IDs If the exam sponsor permits local language IDs, manually verify the following information. If the ID does not meet these requirements, it is not acceptable. The ID is valid (not expired). The ID is government issued. The ID was issued in the same country where the candidate is currently testing. The ID contains the candidate's photograph, name, and signature. If the ID has the candidate's name and photo but does not have a signature, refer to Rules for Missing Signatures in this table. The candidate's name on the ID matches the name in Admissions Manager. Test administrators must either use the Native Language Details in Admissions Manager or have the ability to translate the candidate's name from local language characters into Roman characters. (However, always check the exam sponsor's client reference for any special name-matching policies.) If the candidate registered their name in the local language characters that are on the ID, use the Native Language Details in Admissions Manager to verify the candidate's name. For more information, see Checking local language IDs in Admissions Manager. If the candidate did not register their name in the local language characters that are on the ID, the name will not be listed in those characters in Admissions Manager. If you cannot translate the ID from the local language into Roman characters, the candidate must present an acceptable primary ID which contains the candidate's name in Roman characters instead of the local language ID. The candidate's signature on the ID matches the signature they provide at the test center. Ask the candidate to sign the signature pad (or the rules agreement, depending on your test center's setup) using the same characters that are on the local language ID. This allows you to verify the candidate's signature against the ID. If the candidate signs signature pad or rules agreement in Roman characters and the ID is signed in the local characters (or vice versa), ask the candidate to sign the rules agreement or signature pad again but in the same language in which they signed the ID.
Rules for Missing Signatures
Many exam sponsors require at least one ID with a signature. If an exam sponsor allows IDs without signatures, this information is documented in the exam sponsor's client reference. However, the standard policies described below apply to most exam sponsors.
IDs that can be signed	Candidates might present an unsigned ID with a designated place for a signature. Unless the exam sponsor's client reference says these IDs are unacceptable, ask the candidate to sign the ID in front of you. Then, allow the candidate to test.
IDs that cannot be signed	Candidates might present an ID without a designated place for a signature. If the exam sponsor's client reference says that IDs without visible signatures are acceptable, allow the candidate to test. If the exam sponsor's client reference does not explicitly say these IDs are acceptable, however, follow the standard guidelines below: Former Standard ID Policy: Depending on the exam sponsor, candidates may be required to present another form of ID from the primary or secondary list with a visible signature. Refer to the exam sponsor’s client reference for specific requirements. Pearson VUE Global ID Policies 1 and 2: Candidates must present an additional form of ID. The ID must be original (not a paper-based, photocopy, or digital ID) and valid (unexpired). It must also have a matching name and recent, recognizable photo or a matching name and visible signature. If candidates do not have another ID that meets these criteria, follow the process documented in Handling IDs that cannot be signed. Pearson VUE Global ID Policies 1S and 2S: If the primary ID does not have a designated place for a signature, the candidate is permitted to test if the candidate's IDs meet all other requirements. If the secondary ID does not have a designated place for a signature, the ID is acceptable if it has the candidate's name and a recent, recognizable photo. If the ID does not meet these requirements, candidates must present another form of secondary ID that meets the requirements. (For example, candidates could present an ID with a matching name and signature or a matching name and recent, recognizable photo.) If candidates do not have another ID that meets these criteria, follow the process documented in Handling IDs that cannot be signed.
Additional Information on Expired Identification
Any form of ID that is expired is unacceptable unless it is accompanied by renewal paperwork. If a candidate presents an ID that is expired or invalidated (for example, the corner of the ID has been clipped), you may accept the ID as long as it meets the other ID requirements and is accompanied by paperwork indicating that the candidate has filed for a renewal. The renewal paperwork does not need to contain a photograph and signature. Notes: Grace periods: Pearson VUE does not recognize grace periods. For example, if a candidate's driver's license expired yesterday and the state allows a 30-day grace period for renewing the ID, you must consider the ID to be expired. Texas driver's licenses: If someone in Texas is in the United States on a visa, the date the visa expires is placed on the Texas driver's license in red. The date the visa expires may be different than the date the license expires. If the candidate presents a driver's license from the state of Texas and the visa is expired, as indicated in red on the license, the license is considered expired and the candidate should not be permitted to test using the ID. In such cases, candidates are permitted to go get a renewal at the DMV if they can do so within the standard 15 minutes after their scheduled appointment. If the candidate's driver's license shows an expired visa date but the license itself is still good and he or she brings in the renewed visa showing it is now good, the candidate is permitted to test.
Additional Requirements for Aadhaar IDs
To be acceptable, an Aadhaar ID must be a physical PVC (plastic) card issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Letter, paper, or digital versions of the Aadhaar card are not permitted. The Aadhaar ID must also have the following elements: Candidate's name Recent, recognizable photo Ghost image Embossed holographic Aadhaar logo Guilloche pattern The following image shows one example of an acceptable Aadhaar ID: Note: Aadhaar IDs typically do not include a signature. If the exam sponsor's client reference says that IDs without visible signatures are acceptable (or specifically states that Aadhaar IDs are acceptable), allow the candidate to test. If the exam sponsor's client reference does not explicitly say that IDs without signatures are acceptable, follow the standard guidelines in Rules for Missing Signatures in this table.
Additional Information on UK Passports
Candidates from the United Kingdom (UK) might present a passport with one or more "observations." Observations are government-issued notes about an individual, and they are typically included on a separate page of the passport. If a candidate presents a passport with observations, allow the candidate to test.
Unacceptable Forms of Candidate Identification
Digital IDs Expired IDs without renewal paperwork Note: For more information, see Additional Information on Expired Identification in this table. IDs with significant damage This includes but is not limited to the following types of damage: Unofficial markings Unofficial hole punches or corner clippings Note: Some expired IDs have official hole punches or corner clippings. These IDs are acceptable if they are accompanied by renewal paperwork. For more information, see Additional Information on Expired Identification in this table. Water damage Significant tears Missing or torn out pages Note: Normal wear and tear on IDs is acceptable and not considered significant damage. For example, normal wear includes a bend of a passport due to extensive opening and closing. International driver's licenses that are not issued by a government (These are not accepted because many organizations offer fake licenses over the Internet.) Printed paper copies of IDs Birth certificates Naturalization papers IDs from countries subject to U.S. sanctions (sanctioned countries) Currently, candidates can present IDs from any country (including U.S. sanctioned countries) unless their exam sponsor does not allow it. If an exam sponsor does not allow IDs from U.S. sanctioned countries, this information is always documented in the exam sponsor's client reference. If a candidate presents a primary or secondary ID from a country their exam sponsor prohibits, the candidate must provide proof of primary residence in the U.S. or another non-sanctioned country. For more information, see Procedure for handling IDs from sanctioned countries. The Pearson VUE legal department regularly reviews these procedures. If changes are necessary, an updated version will be distributed via an update to this guide.