How to Get an Alaska ID Card: Documents, Costs, and REAL ID

To get an Alaska ID card, you apply in person at a Division of Motor Vehicles office or an authorized Business Partner location, bring documents proving your identity, Alaska residency, and Social Security number, fill out Form D1, and pay $15 for a standard card or $35 for a REAL ID-compliant version.¹ Either card is valid for up to eight years and works as proof of identity and age at banks, government offices, and businesses that need to verify who you are.

You need to be a resident of Alaska, meaning you physically live in the state with the intent to stay, and your proof of residency has to show a physical street address. Post office boxes and mail cache addresses are not accepted.² If you can’t produce standard residency documents because you’re experiencing homelessness, a letter on letterhead from a shelter, employer, charitable organization, or faith-based organization confirming your Alaska address is accepted.³

Standard ID or REAL ID: Which One You Need

Alaska issues two versions of the identification card, and the choice determines both your fee and the paperwork you have to gather. A standard ID works for everyday identification: opening a bank account, picking up prescriptions, dealing with state agencies. It will not get you through airport security or into a federal building. Since May 7, 2025, the federal government requires REAL ID-compliant identification to board domestic commercial flights and enter federal facilities, including military bases.⁴

If you already have a valid U.S. passport or passport card, you can use that for air travel and federal access regardless of which state ID you carry. If your state ID will be your only government-issued photo identification and you plan to fly domestically, the REAL ID version is worth the extra $20.⁵

Documents to Bring

Both card types require Form D1, the combined application for a driver’s license, permit, or identification card. You can download it from the DMV website and fill it out before your visit.⁶ All supporting documents must be originals or certified copies; photocopies and faxes are not accepted.

For a Standard ID

Bring one document from each category:

Identity: one primary document proving your legal name and date of birth, such as an original or certified U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport or passport card, a certificate of naturalization, or an immigration document issued by the Department of Homeland Security.
Residency: one document showing your legal name and current Alaska street address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, lease agreement, insurance document, paycheck stub, or first-class mail with a postmark.
Social Security number: write your SSN on the application. If you were never issued one, bring a verification letter from the Social Security Administration confirming that.²

For a REAL ID

REAL ID requires more paperwork, particularly around lawful presence and address verification:

Identity and lawful status: one document such as a U.S. passport, a certified U.S. birth certificate from a vital statistics office (hospital-issued copies are not accepted), a certificate of naturalization, or a foreign passport with a valid visa and approved I-94 form.
Residency: two documents showing your name and physical Alaska address. They cannot come from the same source within the same billing cycle. Acceptable options include utility bills, lease agreements, bank statements, insurance documents, government-issued tax documents, and voter registration confirmation letters from the Alaska Division of Elections.
Social Security number: same rule as for the standard card.³

If your name has changed since your primary identity document was issued, bring proof of every name change in the chain: a certified marriage certificate from vital statistics, a court-issued divorce decree specifying your new legal name, or a court order.⁷

Where and How to Apply

First-time applicants must apply in person at an Alaska DMV office or an authorized Business Partner location. Alaska has roughly 28 Business Partner locations across the state, which are privately owned businesses licensed to handle DMV transactions. They charge their own service fees on top of the state fee, so expect to pay more than at a state-run office.⁸

The DMV runs an online appointment scheduling system, worth using at busier offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. At the counter, staff will review your documents, take your photograph, and capture your signature. You have the option of requesting that your photo be captured in a format that cannot be used for facial recognition purposes.⁹

You walk out with a temporary paper ID that works immediately. The permanent plastic card is printed at a secure facility and mailed to the address on your application, typically arriving in two to four weeks.¹⁰ Check the mailing address on your Form D1 before submitting. A wrong zip code or apartment number is the most common reason cards go missing in transit.

What It Costs

Standard ID card: $15
REAL ID card: $35
Standard ID, age 60 or older: free
REAL ID, age 60 or older: $20¹¹

The fee is collected at the time of your visit. If you apply through a Business Partner instead of a state-run DMV office, expect an additional service fee set by that business.⁸

How Long the Card Lasts

An Alaska ID card is valid for up to eight years and expires on your birthday. If you’re under 21, the card expires 90 days after your 21st birthday, whichever comes first, so you’ll need to renew earlier than most cardholders.¹ If the department has limited your authorized stay in the United States to less than eight years, your card’s expiration will match that shorter period.¹²

You can renew starting one year before your expiration date. Alaska alternates renewal methods: if your last renewal was done in the office, you’re eligible to renew online this time, and vice versa. Upgrading from a standard ID to a REAL ID always requires an in-person visit, since the DMV has to verify the additional documentation.

Veteran and Invisible Disability Designations

Alaska adds a veteran designation to the card at no extra charge beyond the standard card fee. To qualify, bring one of the following: a DD Form 214 or 215, an NGB22 from the National Guard Bureau, a letter from the Veterans Department identifying you as a retired veteran or one discharged under honorable conditions, or a valid military ID card showing the same.¹³ You can add the designation at first issuance, at renewal, or by requesting a duplicate card.¹⁴

The DMV also offers an invisible disability designator, marked with the Invisible Disabilities Association’s “i” symbol. It’s intended to alert law enforcement during routine interactions that the cardholder has a cognitive, neurological, mental, or physical disability that may not be immediately visible. To apply, have your health care provider complete Form 486 and submit it with your D1 application.¹⁵

1
Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Alaska Identification Card
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Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Your First Alaska Drivers License
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Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. REAL ID Checklist
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Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. REAL ID Update
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. State of Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles Driver License, Permit or Identification Card Transaction Application
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Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Changing Identification Details
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Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Business Partners
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Alaska State Legislature. Alaska Statutes 18.65.310
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Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. License Renewal – Turning 21
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Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. License Fees
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Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. New to Alaska From Another Country
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Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Military and Veteran Licensing Services
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Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs. Licenses and Plates
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Division of Motor Vehicles, State of Alaska. Invisible Disability