Pennsylvania · driver license numbers
Pennsylvania driver license number format checker.
Enter a Pennsylvania DLN or photo ID number to see whether it fits the eight-digit format PennDOT describes.
Your number
Result
PennDOT calls it the Driver's License Number (DLN) when it is on a license and the Photo Identification Card Number (IDN) when it is on a photo ID card, and says it is "eight (8) digit". Both are the same kind of number. This checker reports whether yours has that shape, and explains the one other number on the card people confuse with it.
What PennDOT says
PennDOT's FAQ "Where to Find Your Driver's License/Photo ID Number" describes "Your eight (8) digit Driver's License Number (DLN) or Photo Identification Card Number (IDN)". It says the number appears on the license, the photo ID card, the learner's permit and most PennDOT correspondence. It is also printed in the bottom-left corner of the Pennsylvania Driver License Renewal Application and the Photo Identification Card Renewal Application.
The DD number is not your DLN
The same PennDOT page says the "DD" number, at the bottom center of the license or photo ID card, "is not the DLN or IDN". If a form asks for your driver license number, do not copy the DD line. Only the eight-digit DLN or IDN is the number PennDOT means. This checker will tell you if what you pasted is not eight digits, which is the first sign you may have copied the wrong line.
If you cannot find the number
PennDOT lists four ways, in this order on its page: check the old card, which is returned to you when your new photo is taken; check your renewal application; ask your insurance company, which may have it; or call the PennDOT Customer Call Center at 717-412-5300, where you will be asked questions to verify your identity before you are given the number. The page does not list call-center hours.
What the checker tests
It removes spaces and hyphens, then checks that exactly eight characters remain and that every one is a digit. A leading zero counts as a digit. Typing the letter O for zero or the letter I or L for one is flagged by name.
| You type | Result | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 12345678 | Fits | Eight digits. |
| 1234 5678 | Fits | The space is ignored. |
| 123456 | Does not fit | Six characters, so it is not a DLN or IDN. |
| 1234567A | Does not fit | The eighth character is a letter. |
Limits
The PennDOT page carries no publication date; its footer reads Copyright 2026 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and it was read on 2026-11-01. A matching shape does not show that a number was issued or that a license is valid, and the page never contacts PennDOT. For driver license durations in other states see driver license validity by state; the neighbouring format checkers cover Texas, Maryland, Wisconsin and Illinois.
FAQ
How many digits is a Pennsylvania driver license number?
Eight. PennDOT calls it "Your eight (8) digit Driver's License Number (DLN) or Photo Identification Card Number (IDN)".
What is the difference between a DLN and an IDN?
PennDOT uses DLN for the number on a driver license and IDN for the number on a photo ID card. Both are described as eight digits.
Is the DD number my driver license number?
No. PennDOT says the "DD" number at the bottom center of the card "is not the DLN or IDN".
Where is the number printed besides the card?
On the learner's permit, on most PennDOT correspondence, and in the bottom-left corner of the renewal application, according to PennDOT.
I lost my card. How do I find the number?
Check the old card returned when your new photo was taken, your renewal application, or your insurance company, or call the PennDOT Customer Call Center at 717-412-5300 and answer its identity questions.
Does a number that fits the format mean the license is valid?
No. This page only checks the shape of the number and never contacts PennDOT.
Sources
Retrieved 2026-11-01. Each source was opened and read against the claim next to it.
- PennDOT, Where to Find Your Driver's License/Photo ID Number: eight-digit DLN or IDN, where it appears, the DD number note, the four ways to find a lost number and the 717-412-5300 call center.
General information only
This page is general information, not legal, compliance or financial advice. Rules, formats and registries change, and your facts may differ. Confirm anything that matters with the issuing agency or a qualified professional. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedThe DD number at the bottom of a Pennsylvania card is the driver license number.
What the source saysPennDOT says the DD number at the bottom center of the card is not the DLN or IDN. The eight-digit DLN or IDN is the number to use. [1]
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Often assumedA photo ID card has a different kind of number from a driver license.
What the source saysPennDOT names the license number the DLN and the photo ID number the IDN and describes both as eight digits. [1]
Checked against these sources on .