The Gun Control Act (GCA) requires licensees to identify non-licensed transferees by examining a valid government-issued identification document. The identification document must contain the name, residence address, date of birth, and photograph of the holder.
There has been some confusion over whether an expired driver’s license can satisfy the GCA requirement. If the law of the State that issued the driver’s license provides that a driver’s license is valid after expiration, either for a certain period of time or for a certain category of persons such as military personnel, then the license qualifies as a valid identification document for GCA purposes for that period of time or for that class of persons. This will not be a common occurrence.
If you are not certain if an expired license in your state ever can be valid, we suggest you contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. If you then have any concerns about whether you can accept it for GCA purposes, contact your local ATF office.
