North Carolina Identification Card: Requirements, Fees, and Renewal

A North Carolina ID card is free for anyone 17 or older and is issued by the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles. For your first card, you have to visit an NCDMV driver license office in person and bring documents proving your identity and age, your Social Security number, and your North Carolina address. Renewals and replacements can often be handled online or at a self-service kiosk.¹

Who Can Apply

Any North Carolina resident can apply, and there is no minimum age. Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian to sign the application.¹

Non-U.S. citizens can apply, but they must present a valid, unexpired U.S. government document confirming legal presence. If your legal status is temporary, the card’s expiration date will match your authorized period of stay.²

What to Bring

The NCDMV wants documents in three categories. Bring originals or certified copies. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.

Proof of Identity and Age

One document that shows both your full legal name and your date of birth. Common options include a certified birth certificate from a state vital records office, a valid U.S. passport, or a valid U.S. military ID. Non-citizens can use a valid, unexpired foreign passport with a U.S. visa and I-94 Arrival/Departure Record, or documents from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services such as a Permanent Resident Card or Employment Authorization Document.³

Proof of Social Security Number

One document proving your SSN. Your Social Security card is the simplest, but the NCDMV also accepts a W-2, a pay stub showing your full number, or certain other federal documents. The NCDMV verifies the number electronically with the Social Security Administration during your visit.²

Proof of North Carolina Residency

For a standard card, bring one document showing your name and current North Carolina physical address, such as a utility bill, lease, bank statement, or mortgage statement. P.O. Boxes don’t count. If you’re experiencing homelessness, a letter on official letterhead from a shelter or transitional housing program works.¹

For a REAL ID-compliant card, you need two residency documents instead of one.⁴

Standard ID or REAL ID

North Carolina issues two versions. Both work for banking, voting, and everyday identification, but since May 7, 2025, only a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative like a U.S. passport is accepted to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities.⁵

The REAL ID version needs a bit more paperwork. Beyond the standard requirements, bring two residency documents, and if your current legal name differs from the name on your identity document, bring documents that link them (marriage certificate, court order, and so on).⁴ A REAL ID card has a gold star in the upper-right corner. If you fly domestically and don’t carry a passport, ask for the REAL ID version.

What It Costs

A state ID card is free for anyone age 17 or older. That applies to first-time cards, renewals, and replacements.¹ The NCDMV accepts cash, check, money order, and most major credit and debit cards.

For applicants 16 and under, the fee is $16.75. Minors may qualify for a free card if they are legally blind (bring a letter from a physician or the director of the N.C. Division of Services for the Blind), experiencing homelessness (bring a letter from a shelter director), or diagnosed with a developmental disability (a parent or legal guardian completes the application and a primary care provider certifies the disability).¹

Renewing Your Card

You can renew up to six months before the expiration date. If you miss it, you still have up to two years to renew online. After two years, you have to go in person.¹

Three renewal options are available. Online is the fastest route when your personal details haven’t changed and you don’t need a new photo. NCDMV Express self-service kiosks at select locations can process a renewal and print a temporary ID certificate on the spot, but you cannot use a kiosk if your last renewal was done online.⁶ An in-person visit is required if you need a new photo, want to update personal information, or your card has been expired more than two years.

Your new card arrives by mail within 20 business days.⁷

Replacing a Lost or Stolen Card

If your card is lost or damaged, you can order a replacement online as long as it hasn’t been expired more than two years and you don’t need to update personal information. Otherwise, visit an NCDMV office. The replacement is free for anyone 17 or older.¹ Your replacement arrives by mail within 20 business days, and the NCDMV does not issue temporary cards in the meantime.⁷

If you think your card was stolen, treat it as a potential identity theft issue too. You can place a free credit freeze or one-year fraud alert with the major credit bureaus, and IdentityTheft.gov provides a personalized recovery plan if someone actually uses your information.⁸

Updating Your Name or Address

North Carolina law requires you to update your address with the NCDMV within 60 days of moving, whether inside the state or from out of state.⁹ Address changes can be handled online through the NCDMV’s duplicate license and ID service, and you’ll need a residency document showing the new address.

Name changes require an in-person visit. Bring a certified document that links your old name to your new one, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order, along with your current ID card.

Penalties for Misusing an ID

Under North Carolina General Statute 20-30, displaying someone else’s ID as your own, using a false name on an application, or lending your card to someone not entitled to use it is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Using a fake ID in the commission of a felony becomes a Class I felony.¹⁰ Sentencing on a Class 1 misdemeanor depends on prior convictions and ranges from community punishment up to active jail time, with fines at the court’s discretion.¹¹

Separately, N.C. General Statute 14-100.1 covers possessing or manufacturing a fraudulent form of identification for purposes of deception or fraud. It is also a Class 1 misdemeanor and is the statute most commonly applied to fake IDs used to buy alcohol.¹²

1
North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. State IDs
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NCDOT. Get a State ID Checklist
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NCDMV. Proving Age and Identity
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NCDMV. N.C. REAL ID Requirements
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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NCDMV. Self-Service Kiosks
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NCDMV. License and ID Renewal
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Federal Trade Commission. What To Do if Your Information Was Lost or Stolen, or Part of a Data Breach
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NCDMV. Moving Information
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North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 20-30 – Violations of License, Learners Permit, or Special Identification Card Provisions
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North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 15A-1340.23 – Misdemeanor Sentence Length
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North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 14-100.1 – Possession or Manufacture of Certain Fraudulent Forms of Identification