Indiana ID requirements come down to a BMV-issued driver’s license or state identification card, and since May 7, 2025, that card must be REAL ID-compliant — marked with a star in the upper right corner — to board a domestic flight or enter a federal facility.1Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID2USAGov. How to Get a REAL ID and Use It for Travel A standard (non-star) license or ID card still works for driving, voting, and most everyday purposes in the state. Which one you need, what you must bring to the BMV, and how the card is used with police, poll workers, employers, and TSA are governed by a mix of Indiana and federal law.
What to Bring to the BMV
The Indiana BMV requires original documents in five categories to issue a REAL ID-compliant credential. You will need:
- One identity document, such as an unexpired U.S. passport, a certified U.S. birth certificate, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a Permanent Resident Card.
- One document proving lawful status. Often the same document that proves identity.
- One document showing your Social Security number: the card itself, a W-2, an SSA-1099, or a pay stub with the full number.
- Two documents proving Indiana residency, each showing your name and Indiana address (utility bills, bank statements, mortgage statement).
- A name-change document, such as a marriage certificate or court order, if your current name doesn’t match your identity document.
3Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Real ID Documentation Checklist These are the same categories the federal REAL ID Act requires states to verify before issuing a compliant card.4Department of Homeland Security. REAL ID Act of 2005
Standard ID Card vs. REAL ID
If you don’t fly domestically and don’t need to enter federal buildings, a standard Indiana driver’s license or ID card is enough for most state-level purposes. A standard non-driver ID card costs $9 for initial issuance, renewal, amendment, or replacement.5Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Identification Cards
The fee is waived if you are at least 18, a U.S. citizen, and eligible to vote, and you tell the BMV you need the card for voting purposes. Bring the same documentation and ask for the free voter ID at the counter.6Indiana Secretary of State. Obtaining a Photo ID
Voter ID Rules
To vote in person in Indiana, your photo ID must meet four criteria. It must show your photo, display your name conforming to your voter registration record, carry an expiration date that is either current or expired after the most recent general election, and be issued by Indiana or the U.S. government.7Indiana Secretary of State. Photo ID Law Military IDs and Veterans Affairs cards without an expiration date, or with an indefinite one, also qualify.
An Indiana driver’s license, an Indiana state ID card, a U.S. passport, and a military ID all satisfy these criteria. A student ID from an Indiana state university generally does not, because most lack an expiration date or aren’t issued by the state or federal government.
Provisional Ballots
Show up without acceptable ID and you can still cast a provisional ballot. It only counts if you personally appear before the circuit court clerk or county election board by noon on the tenth day after the election and either present valid ID or sign an affidavit under penalty of perjury that you are the registered voter who cast the ballot. Miss the deadline and the board must declare the ballot invalid.8Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 3-11.7-5-2.5 – Determining Validity of Provisional Ballot
Carrying and Showing ID
Indiana law requires you to carry your driver’s license or permit whenever you are operating a motor vehicle and to display it on demand to a police officer or court. Driving after never having been issued a valid license is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. A second offense is a Class A misdemeanor.9Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-18-1 – Driving Without a License
Outside a vehicle, the duty to identify yourself is narrower. Under Indiana Code 34-28-5-3.5, you must give your name, address, and date of birth (or your license if you have it) when a law enforcement officer has stopped you for an infraction or ordinance violation. Refusing is a Class C misdemeanor.10Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 34-28-5-3.5 – Refusal to Identify Self The trigger is a stop for an infraction or ordinance violation, not any police encounter. Indiana has no blanket “stop and identify” statute that reaches every interaction.
Penalties for Fake IDs
A minor who presents a fake ID or lies about their age to buy alcohol commits a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. The statute covers a false verbal claim about age, not just showing a fake card.11Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 7.1-5-7-1 – False Statements of Age
Businesses face steeper consequences. The Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission can fine a permit holder up to $1,000 for most retail establishments (up to $4,000 for brewers and distillers) for selling alcohol to a minor, and can suspend a permit for up to 30 days or revoke it entirely.12Indiana General Assembly. Title 905 Article 2 – Fines and Penalties
Exceptions and Accommodations
Religious Photo Exemption
If your religious beliefs prohibit being photographed, you can apply for a photo-exempt identification card. The application requires a sworn statement that you hold a sincerely held religious belief against photography, plus a statement from clergy in your religious organization confirming the organization prohibits photography of its members. The BMV still collects a digital image for its confidential records, but the card itself carries no photo.13Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-16.5-2 – Required Information for Application for Photo Exempt Identification Card The fee is $9 and cannot be waived, even for voting-age applicants.5Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Identification Cards
Residents Without a Traditional Address
The BMV accepts an Indiana Residency Affidavit signed by a legal representative of the government entity or nonprofit organization where the applicant receives services and mail, in place of standard residency documents like utility bills. This makes it possible to obtain a state ID without a lease or mortgage.14Bureau of Motor Vehicles. New Indiana Resident Packet
Flying Without a REAL ID
A standard Indiana driver’s license or ID card without the star marking is no longer accepted at TSA checkpoints for domestic flights. If you arrive without acceptable identification, TSA offers a paid identity verification service called ConfirmID for a $45 fee paid through Pay.gov. TSA will attempt to verify your identity so you can pass through security, but success isn’t guaranteed. If verification fails, you won’t be allowed through the checkpoint.15Transportation Security Administration. TSA ConfirmID
The $45 fee covers a 10-day window from the travel date on your receipt, which works for round trips within that period. Each adult 18 or older without acceptable ID must complete the process and pay separately, and must show the confirmation receipt (printed or on a phone) to a TSA officer at the checkpoint.1Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
Using Indiana ID for a New Job
Every U.S. employer must verify a new hire’s identity and work authorization on Form I-9. The form uses a three-list system:
- List A documents prove both identity and work authorization on their own: a U.S. passport, Permanent Resident Card, or Employment Authorization Card.
- List B documents prove identity only and must be paired with a List C document: a driver’s license, state ID card, voter registration card, or military ID, among others.
- List C documents prove work authorization only and must be paired with a List B document: an unrestricted Social Security card, a certified birth certificate, or a Certificate of Naturalization.
An Indiana REAL ID or standard ID card satisfies List B; the most common pairing for U.S. citizens is that card plus a Social Security card. The employer cannot dictate which documents you present, so long as they are on the approved list and appear genuine.