Originally Posted by
König
The WA state DOL does not check for the legal status, but it asks for a SSN and needs a state residency proof. AFAIK, the SSN requirement is waived only for legal non-immigrants who are not eligible for the number (e.g., F2, J2, H4, etc). Unless an illegal alien already has a SSN and can produce utility bills from Washington state in his/her name, it is impossible to get a WA driving licence without giving fraudulent information. Also, an applicant for a state DL/ID should still provide an acceptable proof of identity (matricula card is not accepted in WA). So, it is really easy to get a WA driving licence for visa-overstayers, but not for those who came here illegally.
I can tell you from actual feedback given by real people, your analysis above is not accurate. The *only* clincher is the residency proof, and it's quite easy to use a friend or relative's home to generate a utility bill, or rent a mailbox and have a bill sent to that address. Everyone I know who has gone this route was able to handle the proof requirement easily.