Checking Account: Can I Open a Bank Checking Account Without Identification?

There are no banks or financial institutions that will allow you to open a checking account without identification. You will need identification to open other banking products such as a savings account, Certificate of deposit, IRA, or even overdraft protection. The requirements for identification will vary from bank to bank. Bank identification is required to stop fraud and other methods of illegal banking activities. Without identification it would be impossible or difficult to tell one customer from the next. This would expose customers and the bank to risks associated with loss. The bank could also be subject to penalties and fines for being out of compliance. If you have no identification there are some steps you can take to acquire the necessary identification.

Call the bank and see what identification is required. Some banks will required you to have one while others will require two pieces of identification. Possible sources of identification are driver license, state ID, passport, military ID and a current utility bill. A utility bill alone will never be sufficient to open a checking account.

Get identification. The minimum requirement for opening a checking account would be a state issued identification. If you don't have a state identification you will need to get one from the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Order a birth certificate and social security card. These are required to get a state identification. To get a birth certificate call the vital records or vital statistics department in the county in which you were born. They will charge you a fee for processing. You can request that they mail it or you can pay over the phone by debit or credit card.

Get a social security card by calling 1-800-772-1213. You will be given the option for applying for the first time or if you lost your card and need a replacement they will give you a different option by phone. You will need to fill out an SS-5 application to get a social security card. These are available on the website, www.ssa.gov. There is a link that allows you to enter your zip code to get a location to mail your SS-5 form to.

Go to the Department of Motor Vehicles when you get your social security card and birth certificate in the mail. Apply for a state issued identification which will be given to you the same day. This should allow you to open a checking account with most banks; however you may need another source such as a utility bill or one of the other identification sources mentioned above.