To get a Houston ID card, you apply through the Texas Department of Public Safety at one of the DPS offices in the Houston metro area, by appointment only. Most applicants pay $16, bring documents in three categories (identity, Social Security number, and Texas residency), and receive a paper temporary ID at the visit while the permanent card arrives in the mail. One rule catches people off guard: Texas does not let you hold both a driver license and an ID card, so the ID card is meant for residents who don’t drive. Since May 2025, every new Texas ID card is issued as REAL ID–compliant by default, at no extra cost.
Documents to Bring
DPS won’t process your application unless you cover all three categories. Gather everything before you book the appointment.
Proof of Identity
Texas sorts identity documents into primary, secondary, and supporting tiers. A primary document stands on its own and must show your full name and date of birth: an unexpired U.S. passport, a U.S. military ID with photo, or a citizenship certificate with photo. Without one of those, you combine a secondary document such as an original or certified birth certificate with a supporting document like a voter registration card or school records.1Legal Information Institute. Texas Code 37 Tex. Admin. Code 15.24 – Identification of Applicants
If you are not a U.S. citizen, you also need documentation from the appropriate federal immigration agency showing you’re authorized to be in the United States. DPS will not issue the card without it.2Texas Public Law. Texas Transportation Code Section 521.101 – Personal Identification Certificate
Social Security Number
You must give your full Social Security number on the application. DPS verifies it electronically with the Social Security Administration and doesn’t require the physical card, but bring it anyway in case the electronic check fails.3Texas Department of Public Safety. What It Takes to Apply for a DL or ID Card
Proof of Texas Residency
Bring two separate printed documents showing your name and residential address. At least one has to show you’ve lived in Texas for 30 days or more. Acceptable items include a current mortgage statement, a residential lease, a utility bill dated within 180 days, a bank or credit card statement within 180 days, a current vehicle registration, or a valid Texas voter registration card. Two documents from the same provider are only allowed if they cover different services, such as a water bill and a gas bill from the same municipal utility on separate statements. Two months of the same bill do not count.4Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas Residency Requirement for Driver Licenses and ID Cards
The Application Form
The form is DL-14A, downloadable from the DPS website.5Texas Department of Public Safety. Texas Driver License or Identification Card Application Fill it out at home. It asks for your legal name, home address, date of birth, and physical description. Every detail must match your supporting documents exactly. A middle name on your birth certificate that doesn’t appear on the form, or an address written in a slightly different format, can stall the visit.
Booking Your Houston DPS Appointment
Every DPS office in Texas is appointment-only for ID card services. Walk-ins are not accepted.6Texas Department of Public Safety. Driver License and Identification Card Services and Waivers Book at txdpsscheduler.com: choose a location, select the service (such as “Apply for original ID”), and pick a date and time.7Texas Department of Public Safety. Driver License Services – Appointments
Houston-area residents often do best at DPS Mega Centers, which are larger, have more processing stations, and generally move faster than standard offices. The scheduler shows every location’s next available date, so you can compare across several sites. You’ll get a confirmation code by email or text after booking. Keep that code. You need it to enter the office on the day of your visit.
Edge case worth noting: if you already hold a valid Texas driver license and want to switch to an ID card, the scheduler won’t let you book the standard ID appointment. You’d select “Service Not Listed” instead and be ready to surrender your driver license at the office, since Texas law bars holding both.7Texas Department of Public Safety. Driver License Services – Appointments
What Happens at the Office
Check in at the self-service kiosk near the entrance when you arrive. It puts you in the queue. When your number is called at a service window, hand the officer your completed DL-14A along with your identity, Social Security, and residency documents. The officer reviews everything and then collects your digital signature, thumbprints, and photograph.8Texas Department of Public Safety. DPS Statement Regarding Driver License Fingerprinting Process Texas law requires the thumbprints for its image verification system, which prevents duplicate or fraudulent cards.
You pay the fee at the end and walk out with a paper temporary ID. If your documents are in order, the visit usually runs 30 to 60 minutes. Mega Centers tend to be quicker.
Fees
A first-time Texas ID card is $16 if you’re 59 or younger, and $6 if you’re 60 or older. Either way, the card is valid for six years from your birthday.9Texas Department of Public Safety. Driver License Fees DPS offices accept cash, checks, money orders, and credit or debit cards.
After the Appointment
Your paper temporary ID is valid for 60 days from the appointment date.10Texas Department of Public Safety. Section 3 – Issuing a Temporary Permit The permanent plastic card is manufactured at a central facility and mailed to the address on your application, usually within two to three weeks.
If you have a flight in the meantime, plan around this: TSA does not accept temporary paper IDs at airport security checkpoints.11Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint You’d need a passport or another federally accepted document to board until the permanent card arrives.
REAL ID Is Automatic
As of May 7, 2025, federal enforcement of the REAL ID Act is in effect, and travelers need a REAL ID–compliant card or another accepted document (like a passport) to board domestic flights or enter certain federal buildings.12Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Every original, renewal, and replacement Texas ID card now comes with the REAL ID gold star by default.13Texas Department of Public Safety. Real ID Document Check App You don’t request it separately and you don’t pay extra. The documents listed above already satisfy the requirements.
If You Only Need ID to Vote and Can’t Afford the Fee
Texas issues a free Election Identification Certificate (EIC) to people who need ID to vote but don’t have and can’t afford a standard card. You qualify only if you don’t already hold an unexpired Texas driver license, Texas ID card, concealed carry license, U.S. passport, or U.S. military ID, or one expired no more than four years.14Texas Department of Public Safety. Election Identification Certificate (EIC) You must be eligible to vote in Texas, be at least 17 years and 10 months old, and bring documents proving U.S. citizenship and identity.
An EIC lasts six years, with no expiration for people 70 and older. Important limit: it works only for voting. DPS will not accept it as identity verification for other transactions, and businesses generally won’t recognize it.14Texas Department of Public Safety. Election Identification Certificate (EIC) EIC applications go through any DPS office, also by appointment.