HOW TO OBTAIN A NO-FEE BIRTH CERTIFICATE
The No-Fee Birth Certificate Program, offered in partnership by the DC Department of Human Services (DHS) and the DC Department of Health (DC Health), is designed to ensure District-born residents who are experiencing homelessness are eligible to obtain a birth certificate from the DC Vital Records Division at no cost.
To obtain a no-fee birth certificate, District-born residents should:
1. Complete the no-fee birth certificate voucher form provided by DHS.
A homeless services provider must complete and submit the form to DHS on behalf of a client. A valid Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) number is required.
DHS will review the submission, upload it to the client’s record in HMIS, and send an approved form (with signature) back to the homeless services provider.
The approved form is printed and given to the client in hard copy, which the client must submit to DC Health to obtain their birth certificate at no cost.
2. Take the approved voucher form to the DC Vital Records Division located at 2201 Shannon Place SE and use a self-service kiosk to verify your identity.
The DC Vital Records Division does NOT accept voucher forms as proof of identity. All necessary documentation for proof of identity is still required to receive a birth certificate from DC Health.
For more information about identity verification at the self-service kiosks, please see DC Health’s Identity Verification Requirements and Entitlement Verification Requirements before you visit the DC Vital Records Division.
3. Submit the approved voucher form as payment.
Upon successful completion of the identity verification process, DC Health staff will determine whether a birth certificate can be issued. If so, the client should present their approved voucher form to DC Health staff so the birth certificate fee can be waived.
HOW TO OBTAIN A NO-FEE NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION CARD
The DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has partnered with DHS to assist residents experiencing homelessness in obtaining a DC identification card at no cost. This partnership requires DHS to confirm an individual's homeless and residency status. DHS does this by working with DHS-funded providers, including our men’s and women’s shelters, transitional housing, bridge housing, LGBTQ+ shelter, short-term family housing sites, outreach teams, day centers, and youth programs, to attest that an individual is experiencing homelessness and confirm documented engagements within the District’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
To obtain a no-fee non-driver identification card, a resident should:
1. Contact, walk into, or reside in a DHS-designated access point to complete a Proof of Residency Form.
A homeless services provider must complete the Homeless Services Proof of Residency Form on behalf of a client. A valid HMIS number is required.
As of September 1, 2026, DHS-designated providers will complete and digitally sign the Proof of Residency Form online and print a hard copy of the completed form for the client to take to the DMV.
**Previous versions of the Proof of Residency Form are no longer valid.**
Scroll down for a complete list of DHS-DESIGNATED ACCESS POINTS where a resident can complete a Proof of Residency Form.
2. Have a DHS-designated access point provider verify minimum engagement in HMIS.
To be eligible for the Homeless Services Proof of Residency Form, clients must have at least a 30-day history in HMIS and must have a minimum of two engagements in HMIS over the 30-day period immediately before requesting the form.
For example, if an individual’s first engagement in the system is on October 1, they will need to wait until October 31 and have an additional engagement in HMIS during that time before they can receive the form.
3. Work with DHS-designated access point staff to verify and/or obtain required documentation.
To be eligible for the Homeless Services Proof of Residency Form, clients must provide one DMV-approved proof of identity and one letter from a DHS-funded provider attesting to the individual’s residency and confirmation of homelessness in the District.
Documentation to meet these requirements includes:
DMV-approved proof of identity (document must be original; copies not accepted)
- Birth Certificate
- Passport
- Certificate of US Citizenship
- Other official documentation verifying identity
Letter of attestation (template sent to approved providers)
- Must confirm the client’s housing/residency status (i.e., experiencing homelessness)
- Must include the client’s full name and date of birth
- Must include dates/times the individual was observed experiencing homelessness
- Example: “The individual has resided at the Pat Handy shelter for at least the last 6 evenings.”
- Example: “The individual has been engaged by outreach on the following dates: 11/1, 11/7, and 11/9.”
- Must be printed on official DHS-funded provider letterhead
- Must be signed and dated by the case manager and supervisor
- If client is unhoused (living on the street), provide exact location/coordinates (i.e., corner of New York Ave & Florida Ave NE)
- Letters of attestation can only be issued by DHS-funded providers
4. Take the completed Homeless Services Proof of Residency Form and proof of identity to a DMV Service Center to receive a no-fee initial or replacement identification card.
When a client arrives at the DMV, they will be asked for the following:
- A completed and printed Homeless Services Proof of Residency Form
- Proof of Identity (e.g., birth certificate)
- Social Security Number (unless applying for a limited purpose credential)*
*The DMV will electronically verify the client’s SSN. If it is verified, ID card applicants do not need to provide physical proof of their SSN or show their Social Security card.
DHS-DESIGNATED ACCESS POINTS
Clients may walk into or contact any of the following DHS-designated access points to complete the form:
| DHS-Funded Provider | Program Site | Population Served | Location/Contact Info & Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Connections | Community Connections Outreach | All Individuals | 801 Pennsylvania Ave. SE | Mon-Thu, 8 AM–2 PM |
| DC Doors | Zoe's Doors Youth Drop-In Center | Youth | 900 Rhode Island Ave. NE | 24/7 (except Thu, 8 AM-8 PM) |
| Department of Human Services | Adams Place Day Services Center | All Individuals | 2210 Adams Pl. NE | Mon-Fri, 9 AM–5 PM |
| 801 East Day Services Center | All Individuals | 2722 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE | Mon-Fri, 9 AM–5 PM | |
| Downtown DC BID | Downtown Day Services Center | All Individuals | 1313 New York Ave. NW | Mon-Fri, 9 AM–5 PM; Sat, 10 AM-3 PM (DMV onsite Thursdays) |
| Everyone Home DC | Shirley's Place | All Individuals | 1338 G St. SE | Mon-Wed, 8 AM-3 PM; Thu & Fri, 8 AM-12 PM |
| Hope Foundation | The Ready Center | Returning Citizens | 3640 MLK Ave. SE | Mon-Fri, 8 AM–5 PM |
| Latin American Youth Center | Latin American Youth Center | Youth | 3045 15th St. NW | Mon, 9 AM-4 PM; Tue-Thu, 9 AM-5 PM; Fri by Appt. |
| Miriam's Kitchen | Miriam's Kitchen Outreach | All Individuals | Contact: [email protected] | Mon–Fri, 9 AM–5 PM |
| Pathways to Housing | Pathways to Housing Outreach | All Individuals | Contact: [email protected] | Mon–Fri, 9 AM–5 PM |
| SAMU First Response | SAMU First Response | Youth | 650 Pennsylvania Ave. SE | Mon-Fri & every 3rd Sat-Sun, 9 AM-7 PM |
| Sasha Bruce | Sasha Bruce Youthwork – Capitol Hill | Youth | 741 8th St. SE | Mon, Tue & Thu 8 AM-6 PM; Wed, 8 AM-12 PM; Fri, 8 AM-4 PM |
Clients staying in any of the following DHS-designated access points can speak with a staff member to complete the form:
| DHS-Funded Provider | Program Site | Population Served | Location & Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calvary Women's Services | Calvary Transitional Housing | Women Only | Non-walk-in, by placement only |
| Catholic Charities | 801 East Men's Shelter | Men Only | 2722 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE | 24 Hours |
| Adams Place Men's Shelter | Men Only | 2210 Adams Pl. NE | 24 Hours | |
| Harriet Tubman Women's Shelter | Women Only | 1910 Massachusetts Ave. SE | 24 Hours | |
| New York Ave Men's Shelter | Men Only | 1355 New York Ave. NE | 24 Hours | |
| St. Josephine Bakhita Women's Shelter | Women Only | 6010 Georgia Ave. NW | 7 PM - 7 AM | |
| Coalition for the Homeless | Emery Shelter | Men Only | 1725 Lincoln Rd. NE | 24 Hours |
| Park Road Transitional Housing | Men Only | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| Webster House Transitional Housing | Men Only | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| Community of Hope | The Triumph Short Term Family Housing (STFH) | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only |
| The Aya STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| The Aya at Girard Street STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| CORE DC | The Horizon STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only |
| The Terrell STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| The Terrell at PA3 STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| Friendship Place | The Aston Bridge Housing | All Individuals | Non-walk-in, by placement only |
| The Brooks STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| The Brooks at Valley Place STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| House of Ruth | Madison/Rolark Transitional Housing | Women Only | Non-walk-in, by placement only |
| KBEC | Living Life Alternative | LGBTQ+ Individuals | 400 50th St. SE | 24 Hours |
| Miriam's Kitchen | E Street Bridge Housing | All Individuals | Non-walk-in, by placement only |
| NCCF | New Beginnings STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only |
| The Kennedy STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| The Sterling STFH | Families | Non-walk-in, by placement only | |
| New Endeavors by Women | New Transitional Housing | Women Only | Non-walk-in, by placement only |
| N Street Village | Sharon's Place Transitional Housing | Women Only | Non-walk-in, by placement only |
| Pat Handy Place for Women | Women Only | 810 5th St. NW | 24 Hours |
FAQ: NO-FEE NON-DRIVER IDENTIFICATION CARD
Why are Proof of Residency Forms only available at the designated locations?
The Homeless Services Proof of Residency Form is available at all DHS-funded provider sites for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, including shelters, adult day centers, youth drop-in centers, transitional housing, and outreach providers.
The DMV has tasked DHS with confirming an individual's homelessness and residency status. DHS does this by working with DHS-funded providers to attest that an individual is experiencing homelessness and confirm documented engagements in HMIS. DHS considers an individual’s interactions with the homeless system and presence in the District for 30 days or more as evidence of their DC residency.
DHS’s relationship as a funder to DHS-funded providers is what allows DHS to ensure quality control and hold providers accountable for accurate eligibility determination.
Are there limits on how many forms each provider/service access point can distribute?
No. As the form is now able to be completed via an online process, DHS-funded providers can access and complete a form for a client at any time. DHS monitors utilization and will adjust access if needed.
When did a Social Security number become a requirement for obtaining a Proof of Residency Form?
A Social Security number was never a requirement. DHS initially required two proofs of identity (e.g., birth certificate, passport). A Social Security card was commonly used but not mandatory. Going forward, DHS now asks for only one proof of identity, consistent with the proof of identity documents accepted by the DMV. In addition to the proof of identity, the DMV will still need to verify a client’s Social Security number when the client arrives at a DMV Service Center.
For a replacement ID within eight years, does the individual need a new Proof of Residency Form?
As of July 1, 2026, replacement IDs are now also no-fee, but a new Proof of Residency Form will be required. To receive a no-fee ID, a new form is required any time a customer is obtaining an initial or replacement ID, completing a name change request, or renewing an ID and they are experiencing homelessness while residing in the District.
If someone has the Proof of Residency Form, can they obtain a driver’s license for no fee?
No, the Proof of Residency Form is used to establish District residency for the purpose of obtaining a non-driver’s ID at no cost. A driver’s license does have a fee.
Updated: August 31, 2026