How to Get a State ID in Illinois: Documents, Fees, and REAL ID

To get a state ID in Illinois, you apply in person at a Secretary of State Driver Services facility with documents that prove your signature, identity and date of birth, Social Security number, and Illinois residency. The card costs $20 for adults ages 18 through 64, $5 for anyone under 18, and nothing for residents 65 and older along with several other groups. You leave the facility with a temporary paper ID valid for 90 days, and your permanent card arrives by mail within 15 business days.

Who Can Get an Illinois State ID

Any Illinois resident qualifies, and there is no minimum age.¹ Parents apply on behalf of young children, and teenagers apply with a parent or guardian present.

If you currently hold an ID card or driver’s license from another state, you have to surrender it before Illinois will issue yours. You can, however, hold an Illinois driver’s license and a standard Illinois state ID at the same time. The one restriction: the Secretary of State will not issue a REAL ID-compliant identification card to anyone who already has a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license.²

Documents You Need to Bring

Illinois sorts acceptable documents into four groups. For a standard state ID, you bring one document from each:³

Group A, written signature: a major-brand credit or debit card, a current Illinois driver’s license, a U.S. passport, a Social Security card, or a military ID.
Group B, identity and date of birth: a certified birth certificate filed with a state vital records office, a valid U.S. passport, or a permanent resident card.
Group C, Social Security number: your Social Security card, a W-2, an SSA-1099, or a pay stub showing your full number.
Group D, Illinois residency: a utility bill, bank statement, lease, or similar document showing your name and current Illinois address, dated within 90 days.

Every document must be an original or certified copy. Photocopies and phone photos are not accepted.⁴ The Secretary of State publishes a checklist you can use to confirm your specific documents qualify before you go.

Extra Document for a REAL ID

A REAL ID uses the same four groups, but requires two residency documents from Group D instead of one.³ Both must show your full residential address.⁵ A Group B or Group C document that shows your current address can count as one of the two, which spares you from tracking down an extra bill.

Standard ID or REAL ID

REAL ID enforcement began May 7, 2025. You now need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities, unless you carry a valid U.S. passport or another federally accepted ID.⁶ If you arrive at a TSA checkpoint without qualifying identification, your only fallback is the TSA ConfirmID program, which charges $45 and does not guarantee you clear security.⁷

If you never fly domestically and don’t need access to federal buildings, a standard ID is enough. If you do, get the REAL ID version. Either way, the REAL ID cannot be applied for online; it requires an in-person visit.⁸

How to Apply

Applications happen at any Secretary of State Driver Services facility. Many locations use the Skip the Line system, which lets you book an appointment online in advance.⁹ Walk-ins are still accepted, but an appointment cuts your wait considerably.

At the facility, a staff member reviews your documents, takes your photograph, and captures a digital signature. You’ll also be asked whether you want to join the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry. Saying yes is legally binding first-person consent, meaning your decision stands regardless of what family might prefer later, and if you enroll a red “DONOR” indicator appears on your card. You can revoke consent at any time by calling the Secretary of State’s office at 1-800-210-2106.

Honorably discharged veterans can add a “VETERAN” designation by bringing discharge documentation such as a DD-214. Adding it during a regular renewal costs nothing extra; adding it between renewals costs $10 for a corrected card, and it’s free for veterans 65 and older.

Before you leave, you receive a temporary paper ID valid for 90 days. Your permanent plastic card arrives by mail within 15 business days, and you can track its status through the Secretary of State’s website.¹⁰

What It Costs

Fees depend on your age and situation. The card is valid for five years, and renewal costs the same as the original for your age group.¹¹

Ages 18–64: $20
Under 18: $5
Age 65 and older: free
People with disabilities: free, with a Disabled ID Form
Homeless individuals: free, with a Homeless Status Certification signed by a social services agency¹²
Veterans living in a veterans home or hospital: free
Former foster youth ages 16–20: free for the first card
People released from state or federal correctional facilities in Illinois: free for the first card

A corrected card, for a name or address change, costs $10 for adults and $5 for minors. Duplicates for a lost card run $20, though duplicates are free if you’re 60 or older, an active-duty military member or dependent, or if the card was stolen and you bring the police report.

Mobile ID in Apple Wallet

Illinois offers a mobile version of the state ID through Apple Wallet. After setup on an iPhone, you can present it at participating businesses and TSA checkpoints by holding your device near an identity reader.¹³ It doesn’t replace the physical card. Law enforcement and many other situations still require the plastic version. The setup fee is capped at $6.¹

Renewing, Replacing, and Updating Your Card

Before your card expires, the Secretary of State mails a renewal notice with a PIN. If you receive that letter, you can renew online and skip the facility visit, unless you want a REAL ID, need a new photo, or must submit a medical or vision report.⁸ Online renewals don’t issue a temporary ID; your existing card stays valid until the new one arrives. If your card has already expired or expires within 30 days, the online system won’t accept you and you’ll need to visit a facility.

If your card is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can request a duplicate online or in person. The online route is not available if your card is suspended, revoked, or canceled; expires within 30 days; you’ve already gotten three replacements in the past 12 months or ten in your lifetime; you previously changed your address online or by mail; you hold an ID or license in another state; or you need information on the card changed.¹⁰ Online duplicates don’t come with a temporary paper ID, so if you need identification right away, go to a facility.

Illinois law requires you to notify the Secretary of State within 10 days of any name or address change. Address changes can be submitted online, but you’ll still need a facility visit to get the physical card updated before it expires. A name change always requires an in-person visit, with a Group A document plus a linking document such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.

Illinois offers three gender designation options on state IDs: male, female, or X. Changing the marker doesn’t require a court order or medical documentation. You fill out a Gender Designation Change Form, sign it, and bring it to a facility with your current card. A corrected state ID with a new gender marker costs $10.¹⁴

1
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 15 ILCS 335 – Identification Card Act
2
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 15 ILCS 335 – Identification Card Act, Full Text
3
Illinois Secretary of State. Document Requirements to Obtain a Driver’s License or State ID Card
4
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code 92-1030 Appendix D – Acceptable Identification Documents
5
Illinois Secretary of State. REAL ID Document Checklist
6
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
7
Transportation Security Administration. TSA ConfirmID
8
Illinois Secretary of State. Driver’s License and State ID Card Renewal
9
Illinois Secretary of State. Skip the Line
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Illinois Secretary of State. Duplicate Driver’s License or ID Card
11
Illinois Secretary of State. Fees
12
Illinois Secretary of State. Homeless Status Certification
13
Illinois Secretary of State. ID in Apple Wallet
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Illinois Secretary of State. Gender Designation Change Form