Driving Tests

What to Bring to the BMV for Your Ohio Temps (TIPIC Documents)

informational·how to guide·Published June 5, 2026

What documents do I bring to the BMV for Ohio temps?

For Ohio temps (a TIPIC), bring documents that prove your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number (if assigned), Ohio residency, and citizenship or legal presence. For the in-person knowledge test, the Ohio BMV asks for only the first three. Each fact must show on the document. Under 18, you also bring a co-signer with ID. The permit costs $26.50.

Where the Ohio TIPIC document facts come from

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), part of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, sets these rules. The facts in this guide come from its page on temporary permits and probationary licenses, its page on acceptable identity documents and its Acceptable Documents List for the Compliant card (BMV 2430). BMV forms 2336 and 5745, the Standard list (BMV 2424) and the BMV pages on fees, Compliant and Standard cards, and non-U.S. citizens add some details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Ohio BMV (bmv.ohio.gov) before you drive.

Five proofs for a TIPIC, three for the in-person test

A temporary instruction permit identification card (TIPIC) is the card that people call "temps." See the full steps in the guide to Ohio temps. When you buy the TIPIC at a deputy registrar license agency, the BMV page says you must bring acceptable documents for five things:
1. Your full legal name.
2. Your date of birth.
3. Your Social Security number (if assigned).
4. Your Ohio residency.
5. Your citizenship or legal presence.
Its Acceptable Documents page has an interactive checklist to plan what to bring.

Which documents for which step

Which documents for which step
Step	What you prove	Documents
In-person knowledge test (all ages)	Full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number (if assigned)	Bring acceptable documents for these three.
Online knowledge test	Social Security and BMV verification checks	No documents at the test. Under 19, a supervising adult must be present.
Buying the TIPIC at a deputy registrar	Full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number (if assigned), Ohio residency, citizenship or legal presence	Bring acceptable documents for all five.

The fact must be on the document

A document proves only what it shows: to prove an element, the element must be on the document. The Compliant list (BMV 2430) names five elements: full legal name, date of birth, legal presence in the U.S., Social Security number and Ohio street address.
A valid and unexpired U.S. passport or passport card with a photograph is on the list. So is an original or certified birth record from a U.S. state, territory or possession.

Documents that prove your Social Security number

A Social Security card from the Social Security Administration (SSA). A metal card is not accepted. You can order a replacement card online from the SSA.
A W-2 that shows the full number, is not handwritten and is from the current or last tax year.
A pay stub that shows your name and the full number, is not handwritten and is from the current or last tax year.
Form BMV 5745, but only if you have already given your number to the BMV.

Proof of Ohio address: one document or two?

A TIPIC can be a Compliant card or a Standard card: the BMV 5745 application has a version for each, and both cover the TIPIC. A Compliant card meets national travel security requirements and needs more identity documents.
For a Compliant card, bring two documents from different sources that show your Ohio street address. Utility bills from two different sources count as the two. A bank statement from the last 12 months also counts, and so does an Ohio license, permit or ID card that is valid or expired no longer than 6 months.
The Standard list (BMV 2424) asks for one document with your name and Ohio street address.

Under 18, a new name or not a U.S. citizen: what else to bring

You are under 18 and not emancipated

A responsible person who is willing to take on the duties under Ohio Revised Code 4507.07 comes with you and shows a driver license or ID card to co-sign for the TIPIC.

You have no address documents in your name

A dependent child may have the address confirmed on form BMV 2336 by a parent or guardian who has proof for the same address.

You already have an Ohio ID card

You must surrender it when the TIPIC is issued.

Your legal name differs from your birth certificate, passport or DHS documents

Bring an original or certified copy of a marriage certificate or license, a decree of divorce, dissolution or annulment, or a court ordered name change.

You are not a U.S. citizen

The BMV checks your status in the federal SAVE system, as Ohio and federal law require. While the check is pending, the BMV cannot finish the permit. Check your status at uscis.gov/save/casecheck.

You are a student who is not a U.S. citizen

Common legal presence documents are a valid passport, visa, I-94, DS2019 or I-20, plus proof of a Social Security number (if ever assigned).

How to get ready for the deputy registrar

1
Pass the knowledge test and the vision screening
The knowledge test has 40 multiple-choice questions, and you must answer 75 percent correctly. If you test online, the deputy registrar does the vision screening when you buy the permit.
2
Run the BMV interactive checklist
Use the checklist on the BMV Acceptable Documents page for the card you choose, Compliant or Standard.
3
Collect the documents
Make sure that the name, date of birth, Social Security number, address and legal presence show on the documents.
4
Plan the co-signer if you are under 18
The responsible person comes with you and shows a driver license or ID card. If a parent confirms your address on BMV 2336, the parent signs it in front of a BMV official.
5
Buy the TIPIC within 60 days of the pass
Go to a deputy registrar license agency. Complete all of column A of the BMV 5745 application and sign it in front of the processing employee. The operator temporary permit costs $26.50, with the deputy registrar fee included. See the cost of Ohio temps. You get Ohio interim documentation to use until the card arrives in the mail.

Study while you collect your documents

See how the 75 percent pass mark works on the question page about the Ohio knowledge test format. The 60-day deadline has its own page: buying the TIPIC after you pass. Our practice tests and question pages are free and in English only.

Key takeaways

For a TIPIC, prove full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number (if assigned), Ohio residency, and citizenship or legal presence. The in-person knowledge test needs only the first three.
Each fact must be on the document. A metal Social Security card is not accepted.
A Compliant card needs two address documents from different sources. A parent or guardian can confirm a dependent child's address with BMV 2336.
A minor brings a co-signer with a driver license or ID card. An Ohio ID card is surrendered when the TIPIC is issued.
Next step: practice on the free Ohio temps (Class D knowledge) practice test.

Ohio TIPIC documents: common questions

Do I need my Social Security card for Ohio temps?

Bring proof of your Social Security number if one was assigned. An SSA card works, but a metal card does not. A W-2 or a pay stub with the full number, not handwritten and from the current or last tax year, can also work.

Is a bank statement proof of address for a TIPIC?

On the Compliant list, a checking, savings, investment or online bank statement issued within the last 12 months is accepted. Pair it with an address document from another source, such as a utility bill. For a Standard card, the list asks for one document with your name and Ohio street address.

Do I need a marriage certificate for my temps if my name changed?

Yes, if your legal name differs from the name on your birth certificate, passport or DHS documents. Bring an original or certified copy of the document that connects the names. If you have had more than one marriage, you may need documents from each marriage or divorce.

Do I get my TIPIC card the same day?

No. The card comes by mail. The deputy registrar gives you Ohio interim documentation, and you use it until the card arrives. If you are not a U.S. citizen, the TIPIC is mailed to the address on your application after USCIS verifies your status.

Do I bring documents for the online knowledge test?

No. In the online test you pass Social Security and BMV verification checks, and an applicant under 19 needs a supervising adult present. The deputy registrar does the vision screening when you buy the TIPIC, and you bring all five proofs to that visit.

I'm 15 and have no bills in my name. How do I prove my Ohio address?

A parent or guardian who has proof for the same address can confirm it on form BMV 2336. The parent or guardian signs the form in front of a BMV official and shows proof of identity, two forms of Ohio street address and the relationship to you.