How Much Does an Ohio ID Cost? Fees by Age and Documents

An Ohio state ID card costs nothing if you are 17 or older. If you are under 17, it costs $10 for a four-year card or $19 for an eight-year card. The card fee is the easy part of the answer to how much an Ohio ID costs; the harder part is the supporting paperwork, which is where most applicants actually spend money.¹

Ohio ID Card Fees by Age

Ohio law eliminates the fee entirely for residents 17 and older. A first-time card, a renewal, and a duplicate all cost zero at that age.¹

For applicants under 17, the BMV charges:

$10.00 for a new or renewed four-year ID
$19.00 for a new or renewed eight-year ID
$9.00 for a duplicate or online reprint at either validity period

Children under 17 who are permanently or irreversibly disabled get the card at no cost, the same as older applicants.¹

The card is valid for four or eight years from the date it’s issued, expiring on your birthday in that year.² You can renew up to 90 days before it expires. One eligibility rule: you cannot hold an Ohio ID card at the same time as a valid Ohio driver’s license or an ID card from another state.

Compliant Versus Standard: Same Price, Different Paperwork

Ohio issues two versions of the ID card. A compliant card carries a gold star in the upper corner and meets federal REAL ID requirements. A standard card has no star and can’t be used for federal purposes such as boarding a domestic flight or entering a military base.³

The fee is identical for either version. What differs is documentation: the compliant card requires stricter proof of identity and Ohio residency at the counter. Since May 7, 2025, federal agencies have required a REAL ID-compliant credential (or a passport or other federally accepted ID) to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities.⁴ If you fly, the compliant card is the version to ask for.

The temporary paper ID handed to you at the BMV window is not accepted at TSA checkpoints.⁵ If you have a flight before your permanent card arrives, you’ll need a passport or other federally accepted ID to get through security.

The Documents That Actually Cost Money

The card fee is often the smallest line item. The BMV requires proof of five things: your full legal name, date of birth, legal presence in the United States, Social Security number, and Ohio street address.⁶ Producing those documents is where the real spending happens.

Birth Certificate

A certified copy of a birth certificate from an Ohio county health department typically runs $24 to $25. Hamilton County charges $24.⁷ Lucas County and the Ohio Department of Health charge $25.⁸ Ordering online or paying by credit card usually adds $1 to $2 at the counter, and third-party ordering services like VitalChek can add $7 or more. If you were born outside Ohio, request your certificate from the state or country of birth; fees vary.

A U.S. passport or certificate of naturalization satisfies the same requirement if you already have one, and permanent residents can use an unexpired green card.⁹

Name-Change Documents

If your current legal name doesn’t match your birth name, you’ll need paperwork connecting every step in the chain. The BMV accepts an original or certified marriage certificate, a certified divorce decree or dissolution, or a certified court-ordered name change.⁶ Multiple marriages mean multiple certified copies, each with its own county or court fee. Sort this out before you go; it’s one of the most common reasons applications stall at the counter.

Social Security Card (Free)

You can prove your Social Security number with the card itself, a W-2, or a 1099 showing the full number. W-2s and 1099s must be from the current or previous tax year and cannot be handwritten.⁹

A replacement Social Security card is free from the Social Security Administration, available online, by mail, or in person.¹⁰ Third-party sites that charge for this service have no government affiliation and no advantage over applying directly.¹¹

If you aren’t eligible for a Social Security number, Form SSA-L676 from the SSA confirms that and can be used in place of standard SSN documentation.¹²

Ohio Residency

You need two documents from different sources showing an Ohio street address, such as utility bills, bank statements, or tax documents.⁶ These are documents you typically already have, so they usually don’t add cost.

If you can’t produce two, a certified statement on Form BMV 2336 can substitute. A parent, legal guardian, or spouse with proof of the same address signs the form in front of a BMV official. Nursing home residents can use a formal statement from the facility along with one additional address document from a different source.⁹

Translations

If any of your documents are in a language other than English, you’ll likely need a certified translation. Professional translation of a birth or marriage certificate typically runs $20 to $65, with roughly $9 to $15 more for notarization if the BMV office requires it.

What About a Driver’s License?

A driver’s license serves as identification too, and some people weigh it against the free ID. Licenses are never free. Ohio charges $27.50 for a four-year first operator license or $54.00 for an eight-year license if you’re 21 or older. Younger applicants pay less because a license for anyone under 21 expires on their 21st birthday: $26.25 at age 18, $25.00 at age 19, and $23.75 at age 20.¹³

If you only need proof of identity and don’t plan to drive, the ID card is the cheaper option by a wide margin.

Fee Relief for Homeless Ohioans

In early 2026, the Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill that would waive birth certificate fees for individuals verified as experiencing homelessness (one free certified copy per year) and provide free state ID cards for unaccompanied homeless youth under 18.¹⁴ The bill still needed Senate approval at that point, so check for current status before relying on the waiver. Social service agencies that work with homeless populations can help with verification if the law takes effect.

Limited-Term IDs for Noncitizens

Ohio issues ID cards to temporary residents at the same age-based prices, but the expiration rules are stricter. If your authorized stay has a definite end date, the card expires on that date or four years from issuance, whichever comes first. If your authorized stay has no set expiration, the card expires one year from the date of issuance.² Shorter validity means more renewals over time, which is worth factoring in when you compare the four-year and eight-year options.

For proof of legal presence, the BMV accepts a permanent resident card (Form I-551), an employment authorization document (Form I-766), or a foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and I-94 arrival record. Some of these require a supplemental USCIS document showing the dates of your authorized stay.⁶

1
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4507.50 – Issuance of Identification Card
2
Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4507.501 – State Identification Card Expiration Dates
3
Ohio BMV. REAL ID Card
4
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
5
Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
6
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Compliant DL-ID Card – Acceptable Documents List
7
Hamilton County Public Health. Birth and Death Certificates
8
Toledo-Lucas County Health Department. Birth Certificates
9
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Acceptable Documents List
10
Social Security Administration. Replace Social Security Card
11
Social Security Administration. What Does It Cost to Get a Social Security Card
12
Social Security Administration. Scenarios Involving SSN Card Requests by Aliens Not Authorized to Work
13
Ohio BMV. Documents and Fees
14
Ohio House of Representatives. Ohio House Passes Bill to Expand Access to Identification Documents for Unhoused Ohioans