This year for the first time, New York State is requiring individual taxpayers to provide a driver’s license or non-driver ID number in order to file their NYS tax return electronically. 

In order to validate returns and deter fraud, New York State amended its tax rules for all electronic returns. The state government added an extra level of identity authentication to the tax submission process.

Although it was previously optional, all the following driver’s license information is now required in order to electronically file a NYS tax return:

• License or ID number
• Issuing state
• Date of issuance
• Expiration date
• Document number (for New York State-issued licenses and IDs only)

Individuals who do not have a driver’s license or state-issued ID can fulfill this new obligation by indicating they do not have either of these documents.

The new rule is not applicable to all returns, everywhere. Paper-filed tax returns and all federal tax returns do not share this requirement.

New Info Required on NY State Tax Return

This new regulation extends to all electronic tax software that is licensed for use in New York State. Those who submit a NYS tax return without a driver’s or non-driver’s ID number may face longer delays in receiving their refund, if they are due one.

Your tax preparer is and always has been obligated to certify the information on your tax return as true, correct and complete, to the best of their knowledge. This obligation now includes certifying that a driver’s license or state-issued ID card was truthfully submitted by their client.

New York, Ohio and Alabama are among the first states to adopt this new fraud prevention tactic.