How to Fill Out and Submit Pennsylvania Form DL-54A: Photo ID

Pennsylvania Form DL-54A is the application you file with PennDOT to get an initial state photo identification card. You use it if you have never held a Pennsylvania driver’s license, or if you currently hold one and are surrendering it — either for health reasons or by choice — and want a photo ID in its place.¹ The card costs $43.50, but the fee is waived when you’re surrendering a license because of a medical condition.²

Which Block Applies to You

The form asks you to check one of three blocks. Which one you choose determines whether you can mail the application in or must appear in person, and whether you pay the fee.³

Block 1 — First-time applicant. You have never held a Pennsylvania driver’s license or learner’s permit. You must apply in person at a PennDOT Photo License Center.
Block 2 — Surrendering for health reasons. You hold a PA license or permit and are giving it up because a health condition affects your ability to drive safely. Your license will not be reissued until you pass the appropriate examination. Mail submission is allowed.
Block 3 — Voluntary surrender. You hold a PA license or permit and are surrendering it for reasons other than health. PennDOT keeps the surrender on file for a minimum of six months, and during that window you cannot apply for any driver’s license. A voluntary surrender does not count toward serving any existing suspension, recall, or revocation. Mail submission is allowed.

Eligibility

To qualify for a Pennsylvania ID card you must be a Commonwealth resident and at least 16 years old. If you currently hold a valid PA driver’s license, you have to surrender it as part of the application, because you cannot hold both a license and an ID card at the same time.⁴

Documents to Bring

Gather your documents before you fill out the form. Missing paperwork is the most common reason applications stall.

Identity and Social Security (U.S. Citizens)

You need your original Social Security card plus one identity document from this list:³

A U.S.-issued birth certificate with a raised seal, issued by an authorized government agency. Birth certificates from U.S. territories and Puerto Rico are accepted; non-U.S. birth certificates are not.
Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (USCIS Form N-560).
Certificate of Naturalization (USCIS Form N-550 or N-570).
A valid U.S. passport. Expired passports and photocopies are not accepted.

Identity Documents (Non-U.S. Citizens)

You must bring all of the following, in original form: your USCIS or immigration documents showing current lawful status, a valid passport as required for your status, and your Social Security card or an SSA ineligibility letter.³

Proof of Residency (Age 18 and Older)

Applicants 18 and older bring two documents showing their name and Pennsylvania street address. A utility bill, W-2 or pay stub, lease, mortgage document, tax record, PA vehicle registration, or auto insurance card all qualify. Postmarked mail and package labels from USPS, UPS, or FedEx also count.³

If no bills come in your name because you live with someone else, that person can accompany you to the Driver License Center with their license or photo ID as one of the two proofs. You still need a second item, such as postmarked mail addressed to you at that address.

Name-Change Documents

If the name on your identity document does not match your current legal name, bring the original marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order for every name change in the chain.

Filling Out the Form

The DL-54A is one page. You can download it from the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website or pick one up at any Driver License Center. Work through it in order:

Personal information. Enter your full legal name, mailing address, date of birth, sex, height, eye color, and your Social Security number or driver’s license number.³
Check one block. Mark Block 1, 2, or 3 based on your situation. Only one.
Attach your license. If you checked Block 2 or 3, attach your current driver’s license or learner’s permit to the application. If you have already surrendered it to PennDOT, note that on the form.
Sign and date. Your signature certifies the information is true. Providing false information carries penalties under 18 Pa. C.S. § 4904, including possible fines and jail time.

Check that your name and address on the form match your supporting documents exactly. Small mismatches between the application and a birth certificate or Social Security card are enough for PennDOT to reject the application.

Submitting the Form

How you submit depends on the block you checked.

Block 1: In Person

First-time applicants have to visit a PennDOT Photo License Center in person. Bring the completed DL-54A, your identity and residency documents, and payment. A staff member reviews everything, sends you for your photo, and issues the ID card at the center the same day.¹

Block 2 or Block 3: Mail or In Person

If you are surrendering a license, you can mail your completed DL-54A and proof of identification to:³

PA Bureau of Driver Licensing
P.O. Box 68272
Harrisburg, PA 17106-8272

You can also take the paperwork to a Driver License Center. If you already hold a valid PA license, staff can verify your identity from that license instead of asking for a birth certificate or passport again.¹

Payment

The initial ID card fee is $43.50.⁵ PennDOT accepts debit cards, credit cards, checks, and money orders payable to PennDOT. The fee is waived if you are surrendering your license for medical reasons under Block 2, whether PennDOT required the surrender or you chose it because of a health condition.²

If You’re Surrendering for Medical Reasons

Block 2 exists for drivers whose health condition affects safe driving. Checking it means you accept that your license will not come back until you pass the appropriate medical or driving examination.³ The ID card gives you a valid state-issued photo ID for the period while your driving status is unresolved, and, as noted above, PennDOT does not charge for it.

A medical surrender is not always permanent. If your condition improves, you can work toward reinstatement. Start by requesting a restoration requirements letter from PennDOT, which lists exactly what you have to do. The letter is available for free through PennDOT’s website, and PennDOT will also mail one to your address of record roughly 30 days before your eligibility date.⁶

Requirements vary by situation. For a vision-related surrender, PennDOT typically wants a completed Report of Eye Examination (Form DL-102) filled out by an optometrist, ophthalmologist, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or licensed physician with the equipment to properly evaluate vision.⁷ For a seizure-related surrender, a physician must confirm you have been seizure-free for the required interval before PennDOT will consider restoration.

The Six-Month Hold on Voluntary Surrenders

Before you check Block 3, understand what it costs you. PennDOT retains a voluntary surrender for at least six months, and during that period you cannot apply for any class of driver’s license. A voluntary surrender does not shorten or count toward any suspension, recall, or revocation already on your record.³ If you might need to drive within the next six months, Block 3 is not the right box.

REAL ID Is a Separate Process

A REAL ID-compliant ID card, marked with a gold star in the upper right corner, is accepted for federal purposes such as boarding domestic flights and entering federal buildings.⁸ The DL-54A alone does not necessarily produce a REAL ID version. Additional documents may be required, particularly for non-U.S. citizens, CDL holders, or anyone updating a name or date of birth, and REAL ID applications have to be processed in person at a Photo License Center. Check PennDOT’s REAL ID page for the current list before your visit.

1
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Get a Photo ID
2
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mature Driver Information Fact Sheet
3
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Application for Initial Identification Card (DL-54A)
4
Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. Pennsylvania Code 67 Section 91.3 – Eligibility
5
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Payments and Fees
6
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. License Suspensions
7
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Report of Eye Examination (DL-102)
8
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. REAL ID in Pennsylvania