To get a replacement ID in Texas, pay the $11 fee and apply one of three ways: online through Texas.gov or the Texas by Texas (TxT) app, in person by appointment at a Department of Public Safety (DPS) driver license office, or by mail if you’re temporarily living outside the state. Online is the fastest route, but it only works if your card hasn’t expired and you still have the audit number from your most recent card. Everyone else needs an appointment. Since May 2025, every replacement card DPS issues carries the REAL ID gold star automatically.
Replace Your ID Online
If you qualify, the online option takes minutes. You can complete it through the Texas.gov website or the TxT mobile app without setting foot in an office.
All of the following must be true to use it:
- Your card is not expired, suspended, revoked, or canceled. An expired card has to be renewed, not replaced.
- You don’t need to change any information printed on the front of the card, such as your name or address.
- You have the audit number from your most recently issued card. It’s printed on the card itself, and DPS will not provide it for security reasons.
- You are at least 18 and hold a standard ID, not a provisional or learner card and not a commercial license with a hazmat endorsement.
During the application, you’ll enter your ID card number, date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and the audit number. Confirm your mailing address, pay the $11 fee, and print a temporary ID that stays valid for 60 days while your permanent card is produced.
Replace Your ID In Person
You’ll need to visit a DPS driver license office if your card is expired, you’ve lost the audit number, you need to update information on the card, or you don’t otherwise qualify for the online option.
DPS driver license offices operate by appointment only. Schedule at txdpsscheduler.com. A limited number of same-day slots are released on that site throughout the day, so checking in the morning can sometimes land you an afternoon appointment. If you walk in without one, you can try a self-service lobby kiosk to book a same-day slot, but there’s no guarantee any are available.
At the appointment you will:
- Complete Form DL-14A, the adult ID application. You can download it from the DPS website and fill it out beforehand.
- Present your identity, citizenship or lawful presence, Texas residency, and Social Security number documents.
- Give thumbprints and have your photo taken.
- Pay the $11 fee.
You’ll leave with a printed temporary ID valid for 60 days. The permanent card arrives by mail, typically in two to three weeks.
Replace Your ID From Out of State
Texas residents temporarily outside the state can replace a lost or stolen ID by mail. The rules are narrower than the online option: your citizenship, lawful presence, and Social Security number must already be on file with DPS; your ID cannot be expired (though it can be within 90 days of expiring); you must be between 18 and 78; and your card cannot be suspended, revoked, or canceled. Commercial licenses with a hazmat endorsement, learner licenses, provisional licenses, and occupational licenses are not eligible.
Fill out Form DL-64 and mail it with a $10 check or money order payable to Texas DPS to:
Texas Department of Public Safety
PO Box 149008
Austin, TX 78714-9008
Documents to Bring
For an in-person replacement, DPS verifies four things: your identity, your U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, your Texas residency, and your Social Security number. Bring originals or certified copies. Photocopies and laminated birth certificates aren’t accepted. Online applicants whose information is already on file with DPS don’t need to show physical documents.
Identity. One primary document proves identity on its own — an unexpired U.S. passport or a Texas driver license not expired more than two years. If you don’t have a primary document, you can use two secondary documents (such as an original or certified birth certificate and court-ordered name change papers) or one secondary plus two supporting documents (such as your Social Security card or a W-2).
Citizenship or lawful presence. U.S. citizens can use a birth certificate, U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization, or Certificate of Citizenship. Non-citizens present a valid Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), an unexpired Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766), or another qualifying immigration document. DPS verifies lawful presence with the Department of Homeland Security.
Texas residency. Two documents from different sources showing your current Texas address. Utility bills, bank statements, and lease agreements all qualify.
Social Security number. Your Social Security card, a W-2, an SSA-1099, or a pay stub showing your full SSN.
Make sure the name matches across every document. If you’ve had a name change, bring documentation for each change linking your current name back to the name on your identity document.
Fees and Payment
Replacement costs $11 whether you apply online or in person, and $10 by mail. Your expiration date doesn’t change — you keep the date from the original card. DPS offices accept cash, checks, money orders, and credit cards. Online transactions are paid by credit or debit card through Texas.gov.
A few fee details apply to specific situations:
- Texans 60 and older pay $6 for a new or renewal ID, but the replacement fee stays $11.
- If you don’t already hold an unexpired (or recently expired) Texas driver license, Texas ID, concealed carry license, U.S. passport, or military ID, and you need photo identification to vote, Texas offers a free Election Identification Certificate (EIC). You’ll book a DPS appointment and complete Form DL-14C.
- Veterans can add a “VETERAN” designation to a new or renewal card at no extra cost. Adding the designation to an existing card as a standalone transaction costs the $11 duplicate fee, so if you’re already replacing your ID, ask to add the designation at the same visit.
If Your ID Was Stolen
A stolen ID is a different problem from a lost one, because someone may try to use it. If your ID was stolen and used by another person, DPS says you must file a police report and bring a copy to your appointment. The office will review your case and decide whether to issue you a new ID number to prevent further misuse.
Take a few more steps to limit the damage:
- File an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC site generates a recovery plan and documents you can send to creditors.
- Check your credit reports for unfamiliar accounts. You can place a free fraud alert or credit freeze through any of the three major credit bureaus.
- Contact the Texas Attorney General’s office for state-specific identity theft resources.
Do this immediately rather than waiting for suspicious activity to appear. The paper trail makes disputing fraudulent accounts much easier later.
Temporary ID and Delivery Timeline
Whether you applied online or in person, you’ll receive a temporary ID right away, printed at the office or available to print at home after an online submission. It’s valid for 60 days.
Your permanent card is mailed to the address DPS has on file. The official estimate is two to three weeks from your transaction date, though some applicants report waiting four to six weeks during busy periods. If more than six weeks pass, check the DPS website’s “Where’s my Driver License or ID card?” page to see whether your card has been produced and mailed.
If your address has changed since your last card, update it during the replacement process. Otherwise the new card ships to your old address. Online applicants can update their mailing address during checkout, and in-person applicants can mention the change at the window. The address update is covered by the same $11 fee.
REAL ID and Your New Card
Every original, renewal, and replacement ID card Texas now issues comes with the REAL ID gold star. You don’t have to request it. As long as you provide the identity, citizenship, residency, and Social Security documents during your in-person visit, your replacement card will be REAL ID-compliant even if your previous one wasn’t.
REAL ID enforcement for domestic air travel began May 7, 2025, under a TSA final rule that allows federal agencies to phase in enforcement. Travelers without a REAL ID-compliant license, a valid U.S. passport, or another accepted federal document may be turned away at airport security checkpoints by 2026. If you’re replacing your ID anyway, this is the moment to make sure the new one carries the star.