Guide
Form I-9 documents: List A, B and C, explained
- The rule
- One from List A, or one from B plus one from C
- Who chooses
- You, not your employer
- Timing
- Within 3 business days of your start
Your employer has to see your documents within three business days of your start. Here is what USCIS accepts, and the choice that is yours to make.
A real moment
“Your first day is Monday. HR emails a link to Form I-9 and asks you to bring your documents, and you are not sure whether your driver's licence alone is enough.”
For Form I-9, show your employer either one List A document, such as a US passport or Permanent Resident Card, or one List B document for identity, such as a driver's licence, plus one List C document for work permission, such as an unrestricted Social Security card or a certified birth certificate. You choose which.
The checklist
What to have ready
Last checked against the official sources on 1 October 2026
List A: identity and work permission
One of these is enough on its own.
- US passport or passport cardUnexpired.
- Permanent Resident Card (I-551)The green card.
- Foreign passport with a temporary I-551 stampOr with a printed MRIV notation.
- Employment Authorization Document (I-766)With a photo.
- Foreign passport with Form I-94With an endorsement allowing work.
List B: identity
Show one of these together with one from List C.
- Driver's licence or state IDIssued by a US state.
- Government ID cardFederal, state or local, with a photo or details.
- School ID with a photoIssued by a school.
- Voter registration cardA US voter registration card.
- Military ID or draft recordIncluding a military dependent's ID.
- School, clinic or day-care recordA report card, medical record or day-care record.Only if you are under 18
List C: work permission
Show one of these together with one from List B.
- Social Security cardUnrestricted and not laminated.
- US birth certificateOriginal or certified copy with an official seal.
- Certification of birth abroadForm FS-545, DS-1350 or FS-240.
- Employment authorization documentIssued by the Department of Homeland Security.
Lists A, B and C in plain words
Which receipts count, and for how long
Originals, not copies
The rule
One from List A, or one from B plus one from C
Who chooses
You, not your employer
Timing
Within 3 business days of your start
Edition
Form I-9 dated 01/20/25
One from A, or one from B and one from C
USCIS lets you show either one document from List A, which proves both identity and permission to work, or one from List B for identity together with one from List C for work permission. A List A document needs nothing else with it.
The choice is yours
USCIS says employers cannot specify which documents you present. Pick any valid combination from the lists.
Receipts that count
If you show a receipt for replacing a lost, stolen or damaged document, your employer must accept it, and it is good for 90 days from your hire. A second receipt at the end of that period is not allowed, and receipts do not work for jobs lasting less than three business days.
Originals, not copies
Employers must examine original documents; copies are not accepted, except certified copies of birth certificates. A Social Security card must be unrestricted and not laminated.
Step by step
- 1
Decide: one List A document, or one from List B and one from List C.
- 2
Check each one is unexpired and an original.
- 3
Scan them into DigiSafe so you have a backup.
- 4
Bring the originals on your first day.
- 5
Show them within three business days of your start.
- 6
If one is lost, show the replacement receipt instead.
Questions people ask
What documents can I use for Form I-9?+
Either one List A document, such as a US passport or Permanent Resident Card, or one List B document, such as a driver's licence, together with one List C document, such as an unrestricted Social Security card or a certified birth certificate.
Is a driver's licence enough for I-9?+
Not on its own. A driver's licence is a List B document, so you also need one from List C, such as a Social Security card or a certified birth certificate.
Can my employer accept a photocopy for I-9?+
No. Copies are not acceptable, except certified copies of birth certificates.
Can I use a receipt for I-9?+
Yes, a receipt for replacing a lost, stolen or damaged document is valid for 90 days from your hire date, unless the job lasts less than three business days.
Where this comes from
Official sources, dated.
Every requirement on this page comes from the official pages listed here, last checked on 1 October 2026. Rules change and offices can ask for more, so check the official page before you go.
Read next
Lost Social Security card
A replacement card is free, and you may not need one at all.
Lost birth certificate
A birth certificate is replaced by the office that registered the birth, not by a national body.
Store important documents
Originals somewhere safe, copies somewhere else, and a digital set only you can open.
Do it in a minute, on your phone.
DigiSafe is free, encrypted on your device, and it works offline.