What if an employee's work authorization expires?

When an employee's work authorization expires, employers must complete Section 3 reverification before the expiration date using either the current I-9 form version or a standalone Section 3 supplement. The employee must present new documentation from either List A (showing both identity and work authorization) or List C (showing work authorization only)—employers cannot require specific documents and must accept any valid documentation the employee chooses to present from the acceptable list. Common scenarios requiring reverification include Employment Authorization Documents (EAD cards) expiring after initial hire, temporary work visas reaching their end date, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) renewals, DACA work permits requiring renewal, and conditional permanent resident cards (2-year green cards) needing replacement with 10-year permanent resident cards.

Missing reverification deadlines is the #1 I-9 audit violation, appearing in 67% of ICE enforcement cases with penalties of $288 to $2,861 per unreverified employee. Employers must track work authorization expiration dates proactively—ideally 90 days before expiration—and cannot continue employing workers whose authorization has lapsed, even by a single day, without completed reverification. The reverification process requires the employee to present unexpired documents, the employer or authorized representative to physically examine them (unless using approved remote verification through December 2025), and proper completion of Section 3 fields including document title, number, and expiration date. Employers should maintain tickler systems, automated HR reminders, or calendar alerts for every employee with temporary work authorization to ensure timely reverification and avoid the severe consequences of employing unauthorized workers after status expiration.

Lake Mead Mobile Notary provides I-9 reverification services throughout Las Vegas, Henderson, and Clark County, helping employers maintain compliance when employee work authorization expires. Our mobile notaries travel to employee locations to examine updated documentation, complete Section 3 accurately, and provide employers with properly reverified I-9 forms that meet federal standards. This service is especially valuable for businesses with distributed workforces, remote employees, or limited HR capacity who need professional assistance tracking and completing reverifications before deadlines. We also offer reverification tracking consultations that help employers identify upcoming expiration dates and implement proactive compliance systems.