How to Order a New ID in Georgia Online or In Person

To order a new ID in Georgia, apply through the Department of Driver Services (DDS) either online or at a customer service center. A standard state ID card costs $32 for an eight-year term or $20 for a five-year term, and a replacement of a lost, stolen, or damaged card costs $10.¹ You’ll need to prove your identity, provide your Social Security number, and show two documents with your Georgia address.

Documents to Bring

Every application needs original or certified documents in three categories: one proving your identity, your Social Security number, and two showing your residential address. You’ll also need to show proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status.²

Common identity documents include a certified U.S. birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport, or a certificate of naturalization. Address documents are things like utility bills, bank statements, or insurance documents, generally dated within the last 60 days. Bring originals; no copies or faxes.

Documents must be in English. If yours are in another language, get a certified translation before applying.³

If you currently hold a license, permit, or ID from another state, you have to surrender it. Georgia won’t let you keep both. If the out-of-state card was lost or stolen, bring a copy of your driving record from that state dated within the last 60 days.²

Before you visit a center, submit the License/ID/Permit form online. Your submitted information stays on file for 60 days. Miss that window and you’ll need to complete the form again.²

Ordering Online

Online ordering is limited to replacements. If you already hold a Real ID-compliant Georgia license or ID (identified by a gold or black star in the upper right corner), you can replace a lost or stolen card through DDS Online Services or the DDS 2 Go mobile app. You must be a U.S. citizen, a Georgia resident, and hold a non-commercial license, ID, or permit.⁴

Getting your first Georgia ID, surrendering an out-of-state card, or applying as a non-citizen all require a visit to a customer service center.

Ordering in Person

Appointments are not required for ID card services. DDS only requires appointments for behind-the-wheel road tests, so you can walk into any customer service center.⁵ Hours vary by location; check the DDS location finder before you head out.⁶

Bring your original documents. A staff member verifies everything, processes payment, and issues a paper interim card on the spot. Centers accept cash and major credit or debit cards. Online transactions require a debit or credit card.

What It Costs

A standard Georgia ID card is $32 for an eight-year term or $20 for a five-year term.⁷ A replacement is $10, and it keeps your original expiration date rather than restarting the term.¹

Watch the 150-day rule. If you request a replacement within 150 days of your card’s expiration date, DDS treats it as a renewal. You’ll pay the full $32 renewal fee instead of $10, but you’ll get a fresh eight-year term.⁷

One replacement per card term is free if the only reason is a name or address change, and it keeps your original expiration date.⁷

Reduced and Waived Fees

Georgia waives or reduces the fee for several groups:

Voter ID. If you need an ID only to vote, have no other acceptable photo ID, and are registered to vote in Georgia, DDS issues the card at no charge.⁷
Combat veterans. Those with an honorable or medical discharge pay nothing. Non-combat veterans pay the standard $32. Bring your DD-214 or a Certificate of Eligibility (DS-516B) approved by the Georgia Department of Veterans Service.⁸
Indigent applicants. The fee drops to $5 with a voucher from an approved nonprofit Indigent Resource Provider. If the card is lost, you may need a new voucher for the replacement.⁹
Foster youth. Children or young adults in the legal custody of the Division of Family and Children Services, or receiving extended care youth services, pay no fee.⁷

Name and Address Changes

Georgia law gives you 60 days to update your ID after a name change or a change of address.¹⁰ New residents moving in from another state have 30 days to update the address.

Name changes must be done in person. You cannot handle them online.¹¹ Bring a certified marriage certificate, state-issued marriage certificate, or court-ordered name change document linking your current name to the name on your birth certificate or identity document. Address changes can be done online or at a center. The first name or address replacement per card term is free; a second one during the same term costs $10.

After You Apply

Once DDS processes your application and payment, you leave with a paper interim ID. The permanent plastic card arrives by mail, and DDS says to allow up to 45 days, though many arrive in about 30.¹² You can track status through the DDS website.

One thing catches people out: TSA does not accept interim paper IDs for air travel.¹³ If you have a flight coming up, apply well ahead of time so you have the permanent card, or plan to fly with a valid U.S. passport.

If nothing arrives after 45 days, contact DDS to confirm your mailing address and check whether the card was returned as undeliverable.

If You Are Not a U.S. Citizen

Non-citizens with lawful immigration status can obtain a Georgia ID, but every application must be handled in person at a customer service center. You’ll show proof of identity and proof of lawful status in the United States.¹⁴

The card’s expiration is tied to your authorized stay. If your immigration documents show a specific end date, the ID expires on that date or after five years, whichever comes first. If your documents don’t carry an expiration, the card is generally valid for one year, though refugees, asylees, and lawful permanent residents with verifiable documentation can get a card valid for up to five years.¹⁵ Citizens of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, or Palau admitted under a Compact of Free Association can get a card valid for up to eight years.

If your limited-term card has expired or will expire within 30 days and you’ve applied for an extension of your immigration status but haven’t received a decision, DDS can issue a temporary 120-day card while you wait. All temporary cards issued to non-citizens must be renewed in person.¹⁵

1
Georgia Department of Driver Services. Fees and Terms
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Get a Georgia State ID Card
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Information for Non-US Citizens
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Replace License
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Appointments
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Hours of Operation
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Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-103 – Fee; Issuance Period
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. How Do I Get a Veteran Driver’s License?
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Get an Indigent ID Card
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Update License
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Section 4 Continued – Section: Name Change
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Renew a License or ID
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Air Travel Alert
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Georgia REAL ID Information
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Georgia Secretary of State. Rule 375-3-2-.01 Term of Driver’s License, Permit, and Identification Card