How to Get a New Illinois State ID: Documents, Costs, and Appointment

To get an Illinois state ID, book an appointment at a Secretary of State Driver Services facility, bring original documents proving your signature, date of birth, Social Security number, and Illinois residency, and pay the $20 fee. The clerk verifies your paperwork, takes your photo, and hands you a paper temporary card valid for 90 days. Your permanent card is manufactured centrally and mailed to your address within 15 business days.¹

Who Qualifies

Under the Illinois Identification Card Act, the Secretary of State will issue a standard ID to any Illinois resident who applies, with no minimum age.²³ Applicants under 18 should come in with a parent or guardian, because the office requires consent for minors.

If you currently hold a valid ID card from another state, you have to surrender it before Illinois will issue yours. You cannot carry active ID cards from two states at the same time.²

Documents to Bring

Illinois sorts acceptable documents into four groups for a standard ID. You need at least one original or certified document from each group. Photocopies and cell phone images are rejected at the counter.⁴

Group A, written signature: a major-brand credit or debit card, a canceled check dated within 90 days, a current out-of-state driver’s license, a U.S. passport, or a Social Security card, among others.
Group B, date of birth: a certified birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport, a naturalization or citizenship certificate, a current Illinois driver’s license, military service records, or certain immigration documents.
Group C, Social Security number: your Social Security card, a W-2, a recent pay stub showing your full SSN, or an SSA-1099 form.
Group D, residency: a bank statement, utility bill, credit card statement, or official government mail dated within 90 days, or a mortgage, lease, or property deed. One residency document is enough for a standard ID.

Everything must be an original or a certified copy from the issuing agency. Bring more than you think you need. Clerks reject anything that looks uncertified, and a second visit means starting over.⁴

Standard ID or REAL ID

Decide before your appointment which card you want. A standard Illinois ID proves your identity for everyday purposes, but as of May 7, 2025, it will not get you through airport security for a domestic flight or into federal buildings that require ID. For those, you need a REAL ID-compliant card or another federally accepted document like a passport.⁵

The REAL ID application uses a stricter three-group checklist:⁶

Group 1, identity, date of birth, and lawful status in one document: a certified birth certificate filed with a state vital statistics office, a valid U.S. passport, a certificate of naturalization, or a permanent resident card. A consular card and foreign documents without a valid U.S. visa do not qualify.
Group 2, Social Security number: one document, unless you have already provided your SSN to the Secretary of State’s office. A Social Security card, W-2, or pay stub with your full SSN works.
Group 3, residency: two documents rather than one. Bank statements, utility bills, and official government mail dated within 90 days all count.

The REAL ID fee is the same as a standard ID, but you cannot apply for one online or by mail. It must be done in person.⁷

What It Costs

Fees are set by statute:⁸

Adults 18 to 64: $20 for an original card.
Minors under 18: $5.
Seniors 65 and older: free, and the card is permanently valid, so no renewals.³
Disabled individuals: free, valid for 10 years. Submit a physician-completed disability ID application form.
Homeless individuals: free, with an affirmation from a qualified person confirming homelessness as defined under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.
Veterans in state or federal homes or hospitals: free.
Youth in DCFS care, ages 16 to 20: free.
Recently incarcerated individuals: people held by the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, federal prisons in Illinois, or county jails may qualify for a free ID before release.

Facilities take cash, checks, and major credit or debit cards. A payment processor fee applies to credit card transactions.⁹

Booking the Appointment

First-time applicants have to visit a Driver Services facility. Schedule the appointment in advance through the Secretary of State’s online scheduling tool. Walk-ins are held for limited services like license plate stickers, not new ID applications.¹⁰ Seniors can also book by calling 800-252-8980 and choosing option 2.

At the Facility

At your appointment, hand your original documents to the clerk for verification. You will fill out a form with your legal name, height, weight, and eye color, then sit for a digital photograph. Once you pay, the clerk gives you a paper temporary ID that is valid for 90 days and works as proof of identity while you wait.¹

Nothing is printed at the counter. After the Secretary of State’s office runs fraud checks on your application, a high-security card is manufactured centrally and mailed to your registered address within 15 business days. The mailing itself doubles as an address check. If the card comes back undeliverable, the office flags the application.¹

Voter and Donor Registration at the Counter

While you are there, staff will ask whether you want to register to vote. Saying yes means signing an attestation under penalty of perjury that you meet the eligibility requirements.¹¹ The prompt comes from the federal National Voter Registration Act, which treats each state ID application as a chance to register.¹² You can decline, and that stays confidential. You can also join the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry during the visit.

Your standard adult card will be valid for five years from issue. Disabled cardholders get 10 years, and senior cards do not expire.³

1
Illinois Secretary of State. Central Issuance
2
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 15 ILCS 335/4 – Identification Card
3
Illinois Secretary of State. Driver’s License and State ID Card Information
4
Illinois Secretary of State. Document Requirements to Obtain a Driver’s License/State ID Card
5
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
6
Illinois Secretary of State. REAL ID Document Checklist
7
Illinois Secretary of State. Driver’s License and State ID Card Renewal
8
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 15 ILCS 335/12 – Fees Concerning Standard Illinois Identification Cards
9
Illinois Secretary of State. Duplicate Driver’s License or ID Card
10
Illinois Secretary of State. Appointments
11
Illinois Secretary of State. Motor Voter Registration
12
The United States Department of Justice. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA)