Arkansas ID Card Requirements: Documents, REAL ID, and Renewals

To get an Arkansas ID card, you apply in person at any Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) Revenue Office, pay a $5.00 fee, and bring original or certified documents proving your lawful presence, Social Security number, and identity. If you want the REAL ID version, you also bring two documents proving your Arkansas address. The Arkansas ID card requirements differ depending on which version you choose, so decide that first.¹

Standard Card or REAL ID

Since May 7, 2025, federal rules require a REAL ID-compliant card to board domestic flights, enter military bases, or access secure federal buildings.² A standard Arkansas ID card no longer satisfies those uses. It still works for banking, voting, age verification, and other everyday identification.

A REAL ID card has a gold star in the upper corner. A standard card is printed with “NOT FOR FEDERAL ID” on its face. Both cost $5.00. The only practical difference at the counter is paperwork: REAL ID requires two documents proving your Arkansas address, and a standard card does not.³

If you already carry a U.S. passport, you can continue using it at airport checkpoints, which makes the standard card a reasonable choice for some people.⁴

Documents You Need to Bring

The DFA requires original or certified documents. Photocopies are not accepted. You need one document from each required category below.³

Proof of Lawful Presence

U.S. citizens can bring a certified U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport or passport card, a Certificate of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization. Non-citizens can bring a foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and I-94, a Permanent Resident Card (I-551), an Employment Authorization Card (I-766), or another DHS immigration document.³

If you don’t have your birth certificate, you can order a replacement through Arkansas Vital Records before your DFA visit.

Proof of Social Security Number

Bring your Social Security card or a DD-214 (military discharge papers).³ A replacement Social Security card can be requested from the Social Security Administration at no charge.

Proof of Identity

Separate from lawful presence, you need one document showing you are who you claim to be. Acceptable options include a current driver’s license or ID from any state, a school ID card, a military ID, a tax return dated within one year, a marriage certificate, a court order, or a concealed handgun license, among others.³ For a minor without their own ID, a parent or guardian can appear in person and sign an affidavit vouching for the child’s identity.

Two Proofs of Arkansas Residency (REAL ID Only)

For a REAL ID card, bring two separate documents showing your name and current physical address. Post office boxes do not count, and both documents must be dated within six months unless otherwise noted. Acceptable documents include:³

A utility bill for gas, water, or electric service
A current lease, rental agreement, or mortgage statement
A bank statement
A phone, cable, or internet bill
A current health, auto, or homeowners insurance policy
A state or federal tax return less than one year old
A voter registration card less than four years old
A personal property tax receipt
A pay stub showing your employer’s name
A medical or dental bill

A document you bring for another category can double as a residency proof if it shows your physical address. A tax return, for example, can serve as both proof of identity and one of your two residency documents.

A standard (non-REAL ID) card does not require these residency documents, which makes it easier to obtain if your paperwork is limited.

Name Change Documentation

If your current legal name doesn’t match the name on your birth certificate or other identity documents, bring certified paperwork connecting the names. Marriage certificates, divorce decrees, court orders, and adoption documents are all accepted.³ For multiple name changes, you need the full chain of documents linking each change. When those linking documents are unavailable, the DFA offers an Affidavit of Legal Name Change, processed in person by a DFA representative.⁵

Who Can Get One and How Long It Lasts

Any Arkansas resident age five or older who does not hold a valid Arkansas driver’s license or instruction permit can get an ID card.¹ Validity depends on age:

Ages 5 to 14: valid for two years.
Ages 15 to 59: valid for four years.
Ages 60 and older, standard card: valid for the life of the holder.
Ages 60 and older, REAL ID: must be renewed every four years.

These durations are set by DFA policy and confirmed in statute.¹⁶

Children between five and thirteen cannot apply alone. A parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or sibling who is at least eighteen must accompany the child and sign the electronic application.⁶ The accompanying adult must bring their own valid identification.³ Applicants fourteen and older can apply on their own.

Applying at the Revenue Office

You apply in person at any of Arkansas’s 134 Revenue Office locations.⁷ You can schedule an appointment through the DFA’s MyDMV portal to shorten your wait.⁸

At the office, you hand over your documents, have your photo taken, and provide a digital signature. The fee is $5.00 regardless of age or card type.¹ Payment can be made in cash, by credit card, or by check made payable to the Department of Finance and Administration.

You leave with a temporary paper ID. The permanent card is mailed to your address and typically arrives within a few weeks. The TSA does not accept temporary paper IDs at airport checkpoints, so don’t plan air travel between your application and the day your permanent card arrives.⁴

Renewals and Replacements

You can start the renewal process up to 90 days before your card expires.¹ Renewing a REAL ID card generally requires another in-person visit so the DFA can re-verify your documents. A standard card held by someone 60 or older never expires and does not need renewing.

If your card is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can order a replacement online through the MyDMV portal without visiting an office, as long as your name and date of birth are not changing.⁸ A replacement fee applies and is shown during the online order.⁹

Moving to Arkansas From Another State

If you hold a driver’s license or ID card from another state and apply for an Arkansas ID, your out-of-state credential is automatically cancelled.³ Arkansas expects new residents to obtain state identification within 30 days of establishing residency. Your out-of-state ID can serve as your proof of identity at the counter, but you still need the other required documents for lawful presence, Social Security number, and, for a REAL ID, two proofs of your Arkansas address.

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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Identification Only
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Proof of Legal Presence for Arkansas Driver License or Identification Card
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Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Affidavit of Legal Name Change
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Justia Law. Arkansas Code 27-16-805 – Identification Purposes Only
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Arkansas Real ID
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. MyDMV
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Online Services