Tennessee ID Card: Documents, Costs, and How to Apply

A Tennessee ID card is issued by the Department of Safety and Homeland Security at a Driver Services Center. A standard adult card costs $12, is valid for eight years, and requires an in-person visit with proof of identity, your Social Security number, and two documents showing your Tennessee address. You cannot hold both a valid Tennessee driver license and a photo ID card at the same time.¹ Any resident can apply, including minors with a parent or guardian present.²

Documents to Bring

Gather everything before you go. Missing a single document means a wasted trip, because the examiner has to see originals or certified copies at the counter.

Proof of Identity and Citizenship

You need one primary document. For a Real ID, that document must also establish U.S. citizenship or lawful presence. Accepted documents include:³

U.S. citizens: an official U.S. birth certificate, a valid unexpired U.S. passport, a certificate of naturalization, or a certificate of citizenship.
Lawful permanent residents: a Permanent Resident Card (I-551) or a foreign passport stamped “Processed for I-551.”
Temporary legal presence: an Employment Authorization Card (I-766), a valid foreign passport with a valid visa and I-94 attached, or a conditional resident card.

If your name has changed since that document was issued, bring every legal document in the chain connecting your birth name to your current one. Someone who married, divorced, and remarried would need all three certificates to bridge the gap.³

Social Security Number

You must provide your Social Security number. If you don’t have your card, Tennessee accepts a W-2 or 1099 from the past 12 months, a payroll check stub showing your full SSN, or a sworn affidavit signed in front of a driver license examiner or notary.³ If you have never been issued an SSN, you sign a sworn affidavit to that effect at the service center.

Two Proofs of Tennessee Residency

You need two current documents showing your Tennessee address. Utility bills, bank statements, a mortgage contract or lease, a W-2 from the past 12 months, vehicle registration, and a Tennessee voter registration card all qualify.³ Minors or anyone without bills in their own name may need to bring a parent or leaseholder who can provide the residency documents and proof of the relationship.

Standard ID or Real ID

Every Tennessee ID application goes through the same in-person process, but a Real ID has stricter document requirements and a gold star in the upper right corner. Real ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025, and a non-compliant card is no longer accepted for boarding domestic flights or entering certain federal buildings.⁴ Federal agencies using a phased approach must reach full enforcement no later than May 5, 2027.⁵

If you already carry a U.S. passport, passport card, military ID, or permanent resident card, a standard Tennessee ID is enough for everyday purposes, and one of those federal documents will still get you through a TSA checkpoint. If you don’t have another federally accepted ID, get the Real ID.

Where to Apply and What Happens at the Visit

Applications are handled at Driver Services Centers run by the Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Not every center processes Real ID applications, so check the state’s locations page or call ahead.⁶ Some locations require appointments through the online e-Services portal; others accept walk-ins.

At the counter, you hand over your documents, have your photo taken, and provide an electronic signature. You’ll leave with a temporary paper ID. Most permanent cards arrive by mail within 10 to 20 days after the print date. If the post office returns the card, the process can stretch to 45 days.⁷

What It Costs

Fees are the same whether you get a standard ID or a Real ID. Watch where you apply: a County Clerk partner location adds a $4 administrative fee on top of the state fee.⁸

Adults 18 and over: $12 total ($10 state fee plus $2 processing), valid for eight years.
Minors under 18: $5 total ($3 plus $2), valid for two years.
First duplicate: $8 total ($6 plus $2), valid until the original expiration date.
Second or later duplicate: $12 total ($10 plus $2).

Payment methods vary by location, so bring more than one option.

Renewing Your ID

An adult Tennessee ID expires eight years from the date of issue.⁹ If you hold a current, valid photo ID, you may be able to renew online through the state’s e-Services portal using a credit or debit card, and the new card is mailed to your address on file.¹⁰

Renew in person if you hold a temporary identification license or if your ID has been expired for more than a year.⁹ Renewal fees match new-application fees: $12 for adults, $5 for minors.

Replacing a Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Card

The first replacement costs $8, and any additional replacement costs $12.⁸ A police report is not required. The duplicate carries the same expiration date as the original, so if your card was close to expiring anyway, renewing resets the eight-year clock and may be the better use of the fee.

Name and Address Changes

You must report a name change to the Department of Safety and Homeland Security within 10 days, and you have to do it in person. Bring the original or a certified copy of the legal document behind the change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.³ You pay the duplicate fee for the new card. Handling the name change at a scheduled renewal folds it into the standard renewal fee instead.

Address changes also have a 10-day window, but you can update your address online, by mail, or in person, and you’ll need two residency documents showing the new address.¹¹ Updating the address in the state’s records is free; a new physical card with the corrected address costs the duplicate fee. If you move out of state, surrender your Tennessee ID.

Non-U.S. Citizens

Non-citizens can get a Tennessee ID but must demonstrate lawful presence with verified immigration documents. Which documents you need depends on your status:

Permanent residents: Permanent Resident Card (I-551).
Temporary workers or students: Employment Authorization Card (I-766), or a valid foreign passport with visa and I-94 attached. F-1 or M-1 students should also bring a valid SEVIS I-20; J-1 visitors need a DS-2019.
Refugees and asylees: Form I-94 stamped with the appropriate status.

These come from the same document list Tennessee uses for Real ID applications.³

The ID issued to a non-citizen is a temporary photo identification license, valid only for the duration of the authorized stay. If there is no definite end date to that stay, the card is issued for one year at a time.¹ All non-citizen applications must be completed in person, and immigration documents are verified through the federal SAVE program, which usually clears within seconds but can take several federal working days if a case is flagged for additional review.¹² Non-citizens also provide two proofs of Tennessee residency and, if one has been issued, a Social Security number.

Free ID for Registered Voters

Tennessee requires photo identification to vote, and a state-issued ID card qualifies. If you are a registered Tennessee voter without any valid government-issued photo ID, the state will issue a photo identification license at no charge. You sign an affidavit stating that you lack a valid government photo ID, are registered to vote in Tennessee, and need the ID for voting purposes.¹

1
Justia Law. Tennessee Code 55-50-336 – Photo Identification License
2
TN.gov. Identification License
3
TN.gov. REAL ID
4
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
5
Federal Register. Minimum Standards for Drivers Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes – Phased Approach for Card-Based Enforcement
6
TN.gov. Driver Service Locations and Appointments
7
TN.gov. I Did Not Receive My License or ID in the Mail
8
TN.gov. Driver License Fees
9
TN.gov. Renewing Your License
10
TN.gov. TN Driver Services
11
TN.gov. Address Change
12
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Guide to Understanding SAVE Verification Responses