To get a DC ID, residents who don’t hold a driver license apply in person at a DC DMV service center with proof of identity, a Social Security number (or a declaration of ineligibility), and two documents showing a current DC address. The card costs $20 and is valid for eight years for U.S. citizens. Before you gather anything, decide which of the two card types you need, because that choice changes the paperwork.
Pick Your Card Type First: REAL ID or Limited Purpose
DC DMV issues two non-driver ID cards. A REAL ID card is for residents who can prove legal presence in the United States and provide a Social Security number. It’s the version most people want, because it works as federally accepted identification for boarding domestic flights and entering certain federal buildings.1Department of Motor Vehicles. REAL ID Driver License and Non-Driver IDs
A Limited Purpose card is for residents who have never been assigned a Social Security number, are not eligible for one, or cannot establish legal presence when they apply. To qualify, you must have lived in the District for at least six months.2D.C. Law Library. District of Columbia Code 50-1401.05 – Limited Purpose Driver’s License, Permit, or Identification Card It’s also valid for eight years, but it cannot be used for federal purposes like air travel.3Department of Motor Vehicles. Obtain a Limited Purpose Non-Driver Identification Card
You must be at least 15 years old, and you cannot already hold a valid driver license or ID card from another jurisdiction.4Department of Motor Vehicles. Obtain a REAL ID Non-Driver Identification Card
Documents to Bring
DC DMV won’t accept substitutes for the documents on its approved lists, so check each one before you leave the house. Everything must be original. Photocopies and scans are rejected at the window.
Proof of Identity
Bring one original document showing your full legal name and date of birth. The common options are an original or certified U.S. birth certificate, an unexpired U.S. passport, or a certificate of naturalization. If your name has changed since the document was issued, you’ll also need legal proof of the change, such as a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.
Proof of Social Security Number
For a REAL ID, bring your original Social Security card, a W-2, or an SSA-1099 showing your full number. For a Limited Purpose card, you instead sign a Social Security Declaration stating that you do not have and are not eligible for a Social Security number. That form is available at service centers and on the DC DMV website.3Department of Motor Vehicles. Obtain a Limited Purpose Non-Driver Identification Card
Proof of DC Residency
You need two documents showing your current DC address, and they can’t come from the same business or agency. Accepted items include a utility bill (water, gas, electric, oil, or cable) issued within the last 60 days, an unexpired lease or rental agreement signed by both you and the landlord, a bank statement, or a DC property tax bill. PO box addresses are not accepted.5Department of Motor Vehicles. Proof of Current District of Columbia Residency
Limited Purpose applicants have an extra residency step. You must also provide two documents dated at least six months before the application to prove you’ve lived in the District long enough to qualify. These are separate from your two current-address documents, so you may end up bringing four residency documents in all.6DC.gov. 6-Month Residency Certification for Limited Purpose Credential
If You’re 15 to 17
Minors can apply, but a parent or legal guardian has to sign a parental consent form, available on the DC DMV website and at service centers. The identity, Social Security, and residency requirements are otherwise the same.4Department of Motor Vehicles. Obtain a REAL ID Non-Driver Identification Card
Where to Go
Non-driver ID cards require an in-person visit. DC DMV service centers are located at:
- Benning Ridge, 4525 Benning Road SE
- Rhode Island, 2350 Washington Place NE, Suite 112N
- Southwest, 95 M Street SW
- Georgetown, 3270 M Street NW, Canal Level, Suite C200 (check the DC DMV website for current availability, as this location has experienced closures)
Booking a time slot through DC DMV’s online scheduling system is worth the few minutes it takes; walk-in waits can be long.
At the Service Center
Before you go, download the Driver License/Identification Card Application from the DC DMV website and fill it out. Your legal name, date of birth, and address on the application have to match your supporting documents exactly. Any mismatch can mean a denied request or a second trip.7Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License or Identification Card Application
At the window, you’ll hand over the completed application and your original documents. The agent verifies everything, takes your photo, and captures your digital signature. Once your paperwork is in order, the whole interaction usually takes 15 to 20 minutes.
What It Costs
A non-driver ID card costs $20 and covers the full eight-year term. A duplicate or replacement is also $20.8Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Fees DC DMV accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, contactless and digital wallet payments, money orders payable to DC Treasurer, and verified checks payable to DC Treasurer.9Department of Motor Vehicles. Accepted Forms of Payments
Three groups pay nothing:
- Residents 65 and older get original cards and renewals free. Replacements still cost $20.
- Residents released from prison within the last six months are eligible for a free six-month non-driver ID. Bring your release papers and, if applicable, an authorized letter from the DC Department of Corrections, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, or DC Parole and Probation Agency.
- Homeless residents can get an original card free with a completed Proof of Residency and No Fee Identification Card form from a certified social service provider approved by the DC Department of Human Services.
Fee-waiver applicants still have to provide the standard identity and Social Security documentation.10Department of Motor Vehicles. Eligibility for Free Non-Driver ID
After You Pay
You won’t leave with a plastic card. The agent issues a temporary paper ID valid for 45 days. Your permanent card is produced at a central facility and mailed to the address on your application in about 10 business days. DC DMV will not mail cards to a PO box.1Department of Motor Vehicles. REAL ID Driver License and Non-Driver IDs If two weeks pass with nothing in the mail, call DC DMV before the temporary expires so you aren’t left without valid ID.
One Thing a DC ID Won’t Do
Since May 7, 2025, TSA no longer accepts non-REAL-ID state driver licenses and identification cards at airport security checkpoints. If you apply for a Limited Purpose card, you can’t use it to board a domestic flight, and you’ll need a U.S. passport, passport card, or another federally accepted document instead.11Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID If flying matters to you and you qualify for both, apply for the REAL ID.