To meet Louisiana ID requirements, you bring one primary proof of identity and two documents showing your Louisiana street address to the Office of Motor Vehicles, and you pay $18 for a state identification card.1Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. FAQs A driver’s license costs more and requires testing, but it counts as photo ID for every purpose a state ID card does. If you plan to fly domestically or enter federal buildings after May 7, 2025, you need the REAL ID-compliant version of whichever card you choose.2Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
Documents You Need to Bring
The OMV asks for two things: proof of who you are and proof that you live in Louisiana. For identity, acceptable primary documents include a valid U.S. passport, an original or certified birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization, or a Native American tribal document.3Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Identification Requirements Photocopies are not accepted. Every identity document must be an original or a certified copy.
For residency, you need at least two documents that show your name and a Louisiana street address, and they must come from separate sources. Utility bills, bank statements, and government correspondence all qualify.4Louisiana Department of Public Safety. Requirements for Issuance of a Real ID Driver’s License or Identification Card
Supplementary documents like Medicare and Medicaid cards, medical eligibility cards, and CDL medical forms can help support an application, though they don’t replace a primary identity document like a birth certificate.3Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Identification Requirements
Extra Documents for a REAL ID
A REAL ID adds one more layer: proof of your Social Security number. You still need proof of lawful U.S. presence for identity and the same two residency documents.4Louisiana Department of Public Safety. Requirements for Issuance of a Real ID Driver’s License or Identification Card A standard (non-REAL ID) credential doesn’t require your Social Security number to appear on the card, though the OMV may use it during processing to verify your record.
The Four Types of Louisiana ID
Louisiana issues four main credentials, and picking the right one comes down to whether you drive and whether you fly.
Driver’s License
A standard Class D or Class E driver’s license is valid for six years from your nearest birthday after issuance and doubles as photo ID everywhere a state ID card would work.5Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 32 RS 32-408 – Licenses, Types, Expiration You must pass a written knowledge test and a behind-the-wheel skills exam. The OMV can issue a license for less than six years if a medical condition or a lawful presence limitation applies. Renewal means verifying your identity and residency again.
State Identification Card
If you don’t drive, the Louisiana special identification card gives you the same photo ID for $18 without any driving privileges. The application process mirrors a driver’s license application without the tests. It works for voting, banking, age verification, and government services.
REAL ID
Since May 7, 2025, federal agencies no longer accept a standard Louisiana driver’s license or ID card for boarding domestic flights or entering federal facilities. For those purposes you need the REAL ID-compliant version, which is marked with a gold star in the upper corner of the card. The REAL ID Act of 2005 set minimum security standards for state-issued credentials used for federal purposes, including access to nuclear power plants and other secure sites.6Department of Homeland Security. REAL ID Act of 2005 If you don’t fly and don’t enter federal buildings, a standard card still covers driving, voting, and age verification.
LA Wallet Digital ID
Louisiana is one of a limited number of states whose digital driver’s license is accepted by TSA at airport checkpoints, through the LA Wallet app.7Transportation Security Administration. Participating States and Eligible Digital IDs For federal acceptance, the digital credential must be based on a REAL ID-compliant physical license. Louisiana law enforcement and many in-state businesses also accept the app, though acceptance outside Louisiana varies.
If You’re a Minor
An applicant 17 or younger cannot apply on their own. A custodial parent or legal guardian must sign the application, and when parents share joint custody, only the domiciliary parent may sign.8Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 32 RS 32-407 – Applications of Minors Both the minor and the signing parent must present identification. The first time a minor applies for any license or permit, the transaction has to happen in person at an OMV office. Later renewals or changes may qualify for the OMV’s web-based electronic signature process.
If Your Name Has Changed
Update your Social Security card first. The OMV will not issue a credential in a new name until Social Security records match. The Social Security Administration accepts a marriage certificate, divorce decree, certificate of naturalization reflecting the new name, or a court order approving the change.9Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card If the name change happened more than two years ago, you may also need to present an identity document in your prior name. Once your Social Security record reflects the new name, bring the updated card with your other documentation to the OMV.
If You Don’t Have a Fixed Address
The two-document residency rule can be hard to meet without stable housing. No specific Louisiana statute guarantees acceptance of a shelter letter, but the OMV’s list of acceptable residency documents is broad, and applicants in non-traditional living situations should contact their local OMV office directly to talk through what they can provide. Social service agencies that work with people experiencing homelessness can often help assemble the paperwork.
Free ID Cards for Registered Voters
Louisiana requires photo ID at the polls, and registered voters who don’t have one can bring their voter information card to the OMV and receive a free Louisiana special identification card. If cost is the reason you don’t have an ID, this route removes the $18 fee entirely.
What Not to Do: Fake IDs and Identity Theft
Creating, altering, or knowingly possessing a fake ID falls under Louisiana’s forgery statute, which carries up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.10Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 14 RS 14-72 – Forgery Forgery has no dollar-amount tiers, so a single fake ID with no financial motive is still a serious felony.
Using someone else’s identifying information to obtain money, credit, goods, or services is charged separately as identity theft, with penalties that scale by the amount involved and stiffer minimums when the victim is 60 or older, under 17, or a person with a disability.11Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 14 RS 14-67.16 – Identity Theft The statute reaches Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank and credit card numbers, digital signatures, and phone numbers used in caller ID spoofing.