Proof review — what to check line by line
Ha, the white wall shadow thing got me too — bounced my desk lamp off a piece of paper as a diffuser and that finally killed the hard shadow. Taking the ID photo at home tips are gold for that, way better than guessing.
Also just read the sticky guys. I know it's a cliché noob question move but I wish I'd done the search bar thing first, saves a rejection letter.
Good thread idea. When I first joined, I didn't read the sticky and paid for it with a rejection—looking back, it had everything I needed.
For me, the biggest thing to check line by line is the signature background. A plain white wall with weird shadows from my lighting setup killed my first attempt. Also, don't skip taking your ID photo at home tips under a proper lamp—it saves you a trip. And honestly, if you're stuck, use the search bar before asking; it's quicker than waiting on replies.
Approved three proofs before I developed a systematic approach. The first two times I found errors only after receiving the card. The third time I caught an error on the proof itself. Here is the checklist I now use.
Name fields
Check first name, middle name (or initial), and last name separately against what you submitted. Look at capitalization — some states capitalize all characters in the name on the license. Check for transpositions (letters swapped) and for truncation (middle name cut short or dropped). These are the most common data entry errors.
Date of birth
Compare month, day, and year individually against your submission. A digit swap in the year field is easy to miss on a quick scan. Verify that the implied age is correct by doing the subtraction mentally.
Address
Check street number, street name, apartment/unit designator, city, state abbreviation, and zip code. Address fields have the most variation in formatting across states — some states include apartment numbers on the card, others do not. Confirm the format matches the state's actual license layout.
License number
You cannot verify whether the vendor's generated license number is algorithmically correct without knowing the state's specific formula. What you can check is format: does it match the expected pattern for the state? Most state license numbers have a predictable structure (all numeric, alphanumeric with specific length, etc.) that is publicly documented.
Expiration date and issue date
The expiration date should be consistent with the state's renewal rules and the date of birth. An expiration date that falls on a date that is not the cardholder's birthday (in states that expire on birthday) is an error. Confirm both dates look plausible.
Finally, look at the photo placement and the signature. If either is off-center, too large, or wrongly positioned compared to what you know about the state's layout, raise it before approving. A two-minute proof review prevents a week-long replacement cycle.