An Ohio state ID card costs nothing if you are 17 or older. The state dropped the fee for adults and older teens on April 7, 2023, and the card is free whether you’re getting one for the first time, renewing, or replacing a lost one. If you are 16 or younger, you pay $13 for a four-year card or $25 for an eight-year card.1Ohio BMV. Documents and Fees
Ohio ID Card Prices by Age
Age is the only variable in the fee schedule. The prices below already include the deputy registrar service charge built into every BMV transaction, so what’s listed is what you hand over at the counter.
- Age 17 and older: free for new cards, renewals, and duplicates.
- Age 16 and under, four-year card: $13.00.
- Age 16 and under, eight-year card: $25.00.
- Duplicate card for age 16 and under: $12.00.
- Permanently disabled, any age: free for new cards, renewals, and duplicates.
You choose the four-year or eight-year term when you apply, and the card expires on your birthday in that year.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4507.501 – State Identification Card Expiration Dates
Who Gets an Ohio ID for Free
Two groups pay nothing regardless of anything else. The first is anyone 17 or older, thanks to the 2023 fee elimination. The second is permanently disabled residents of any age, who receive new, renewed, and duplicate cards at no cost.1Ohio BMV. Documents and Fees
A related waiver applies to driver’s licenses rather than ID cards: veterans with a 100-percent service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs receive a new, renewed, or duplicate Ohio driver’s license at no cost.3Ohio BMV. Gratis Driver License
Does a Real ID Cost More
No. Ohio charges the same for the Real ID–compliant version of the ID card as for the standard version, so choosing the compliant card adds nothing to the price.4Ohio.gov. Ohio’s Real ID The difference is paperwork: the compliant card requires you to show documents proving your legal presence in the United States, on top of the standard identity, Social Security, and residency documents.
This is worth thinking about before you go. Since May 7, 2025, the TSA requires a Real ID–compliant license or ID card to pass through airport security for domestic flights.5Transportation Security Administration. TSA Reminds Public of REAL ID Enforcement Deadline of May 7, 2025 A valid U.S. passport also works, but if your Ohio card is your only federal-use ID, it needs to be the compliant version. If you already carry a standard Ohio ID, you can upgrade to the compliant version at your next renewal at no extra charge.
Renewals, Replacements, and Late Cards
The same free-versus-paid split applies to renewals and duplicates. Adults 17 and older pay nothing to renew or to replace a lost or stolen ID. Cardholders 16 and under pay the same $13 or $25 to renew, and $12 for a duplicate.1Ohio BMV. Documents and Fees
Ohio does not charge a late fee for renewing an expired ID. The BMV mails a reminder within 45 days after expiration, but missing it doesn’t extend anything.6Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4507.09 – Expiration and Renewal of License If your card has been expired for more than six months, online renewal is off the table and you’ll need to visit a deputy registrar in person with full documentation.7Ohio BMV. Driver License and ID Cards
Paying at the Counter
Deputy registrar locations accept cash, check, money order, or credit card.8Ohio BMV. Identification Card Because the deputy registrar service fee is already folded into every price listed above, there is no additional surcharge added at the window. If you’re in one of the free categories, you leave without paying anything, including for a temporary paper document that serves as valid ID until your permanent card arrives in the mail.
If You’re Comparing With a Driver’s License
Some Ohioans use a driver’s license instead of a standalone ID card. Licenses are not free. Renewal runs $30.25 for a four-year term or $59.40 for an eight-year term, and a duplicate license costs $29.00.1Ohio BMV. Documents and Fees First-time license fees are scaled by age because applicants under 21 get a license that runs through their 21st birthday regardless of when they apply:
- Age 21 or older: $27.50 (four-year) or $54.00 (eight-year).
- Age 20: $23.75.
- Age 19: $25.00.
- Age 18: $26.25.
- Age 17: $27.50.
- Age 16: $28.75.
Applicants under 21 are only eligible for a four-year term.1Ohio BMV. Documents and Fees As with the ID card, the compliant version of the driver’s license costs the same as the standard version.4Ohio.gov. Ohio’s Real ID