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

To get an Illinois state ID, you apply in person at a Secretary of State Driver Services facility with original documents proving your legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and Illinois address, pay a fee based on your age, and wait for the card to arrive by mail. The standard fee is $20 for adults 18 through 64, $5 for anyone under 18, and free for applicants 65 or older or those with a qualifying disability.¹ Anyone who lives in Illinois can apply, and there is no minimum age.²

Decide Between a REAL ID and a Standard Card

The first thing to settle is which version you want, because it changes the paperwork you bring. A REAL ID-compliant card has a small gold star in the upper right corner and is required by the TSA as of May 7, 2025, for boarding domestic flights and entering certain federal buildings.³ A standard card reads “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES” at the top and works fine for banking, age verification, and everyday identification.⁴

The application fee is the same either way. The difference is that a REAL ID requires two proofs of Illinois residency instead of one. One limitation to know before you go: if you already hold a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, you cannot also hold a REAL ID-compliant state ID card, and vice versa. You would have to surrender one to get the other.⁵ A standard state ID alongside a driver’s license is fine, though the Secretary of State may require the name and address to match on both records.⁶

If you hold a valid ID card from another state, you must surrender it before Illinois will issue a new one. Non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents can apply, but their card expires at the end of their authorized period of stay.⁶

Gather the Right Documents

Illinois sorts the required paperwork into four groups. A first-time applicant for a standard card brings one original document from each group. A REAL ID applicant brings one from Groups A, B, and C, plus two from Group D.⁷

Group A, written signature and legal name: a Social Security card, W-2, or other document showing your full legal name and signature.
Group B, date of birth: a birth certificate, U.S. passport, or certified school transcript.
Group C, Social Security number: a Social Security card, W-2, or pay stub displaying your full SSN.
Group D, Illinois residency: utility bills, bank statements, a lease, or similar documents showing your current Illinois address.

Every document must be an original or certified copy. Photocopies and web printouts are generally not accepted, and a clerk will turn you away if any required group is missing. The Secretary of State publishes the full list of acceptable documents for each group.⁷

What It Costs

The application fee for a first-time card follows a simple schedule:¹

Under 18: $5
18 through 64: $20
65 and older: free
Persons with a qualifying disability: free (requires a Disabled ID form)

Homeless applicants also qualify at no cost. That path uses a Homeless Status Certification form completed by a recognized social services agency and notarized within 90 days of submission; the finished card ships to the agency, and the applicant has 60 days to pick it up before the agency must return it.⁸ If you need the card faster than the usual timeline, the Secretary of State may charge up to $75 for expedited processing on top of the regular fee.⁶

Apply in Person and Wait for the Card

You have to show up at a Secretary of State Driver Services facility. There is no way to complete a first-time state ID application online or by mail. A staff member reviews your originals, captures your signature digitally, and takes your photo. Expect the clerk to be particular about how you sit for the picture.

You will not leave with the permanent card. Illinois prints cards at a central secure facility and mails them to the address on your application within 15 business days.⁹ What you carry out of the office is a paper temporary document valid for 90 days, and it works as identification and proof of age until the plastic card arrives.

How Long the Card Lasts

Illinois cards expire on different schedules depending on age and card type, all set by the Illinois Identification Card Act.¹⁰

Standard adult card, ages 21 through 64: expires five years from your next birthday after issuance.
Ages 15 through 20: expires three months after your 21st birthday.
Non-REAL ID card, age 65 and older: permanent, no renewal needed.
REAL ID card, age 65 and older: expires after eight years.
Disability card, non-REAL ID: 10 years.
Disability card, REAL ID: eight years.

Non-citizens’ cards expire on their authorized stay date or the standard schedule, whichever comes first. When it is time to renew, you should receive a renewal letter with a PIN that lets you renew online. Online renewal is not available if you are upgrading to a REAL ID, submitting a medical or vision report, or adding a P.O. box, all of which require an in-person visit.¹¹

Replacing a Lost, Stolen, or Incorrect Card

If your card is lost or stolen, report it to local law enforcement first so there is a record in case of identity theft, then visit a Driver Services facility for a duplicate. Replacement fees:¹

Under 18: $5
18 through 59: $20
60 and older: free
Persons with a disability: free

Note that the free duplicate threshold starts at age 60, not 65. If you need to correct information rather than replace a lost card, the fee is $10 for ages 18 through 64 and free for those 65 and older.¹

Adding a Veteran Designation

Honorably discharged U.S. veterans can have “VETERAN” printed on the card. Bring a DD-214, a DD-2 (Retired), a Veterans Identification Card issued under federal law, a VA summary of benefits letter, or another official discharge document showing honorable discharge. The Secretary of State verifies the paperwork with the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs.¹²

Adding the designation at your next scheduled renewal is free. Adding it earlier costs $10 for an updated card, and veterans 65 and older pay nothing either way.¹²

1
Illinois Secretary of State. Drivers License and State ID Card Fees
2
Justia Law. Illinois Code 15 ILCS 335 – Illinois Identification Card Act
3
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
4
Illinois Secretary of State. REAL ID
5
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 15 ILCS 335/2 – Administration and Powers and Duties of the Administrator
6
Justia Law. Illinois Code 15 ILCS 335 – Illinois Identification Card Act – Section 4
7
Illinois Secretary of State. Document Requirements to Obtain a Drivers License or State ID Card
8
Illinois Secretary of State. Homeless Status Certification
9
Illinois Secretary of State. Drivers License and State ID Card Information
10
Illinois General Assembly. 15 ILCS 335 – Illinois Identification Card Act – Section 8
11
Illinois Secretary of State. Drivers License and State ID Card Renewal
12
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs. Veteran Drivers License