Virginia Identification Card: Documents, Costs, and How to Apply

A Virginia identification card is issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to any state resident who doesn’t hold a driver’s license, and you get one by visiting a DMV customer service center in person with original documents proving your identity, legal presence, Virginia residency, and Social Security number. The fee is $2 per year, with a minimum of $10 and a maximum of $16, and the card can be valid for up to eight years.¹

Who Qualifies

Any Virginia resident, regardless of age, can apply for an ID card as long as they don’t already hold a driver’s license, learner’s permit, temporary driver’s permit, or commercial driver’s license issued anywhere in the United States, and don’t already hold a DMV-issued photo ID.²³

If you have a Social Security number, you must provide it, but you don’t necessarily have to bring the physical card. If you know the number, the DMV can verify it electronically. Applicants who have never been issued a Social Security number can still apply but must provide documentation of their non-work-authorized status.²⁴

Residents age 70 or older can exchange a valid Virginia driver’s license for an ID card at no charge. The fee applies to any ID cards issued after that first free exchange.⁴ The entire fee is also waived for homeless youth, meaning young people who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including those living in shelters, motels, cars, or other places not meant for regular sleeping.³

Standard ID or REAL ID

Virginia issues two versions of the card. A standard ID works for everyday tasks such as verifying identity at a bank, registering to vote, applying for federal benefits, and accessing health services. A REAL ID does all of that and also allows you to board domestic flights, enter secure federal facilities, and access military bases.⁵

REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025. A standard card alone will not get you through a TSA checkpoint, and after your next renewal a standard card will display the words “Federal Limits Apply.” Without a REAL ID, you’d need a U.S. passport, military ID, or other federally approved document to fly domestically or enter restricted federal buildings.⁵

The trade-off is at application time. A standard ID can later be renewed online. A REAL ID always requires an in-person visit to a DMV customer service center with original physical documents.⁶ If you never fly and don’t visit military bases or secure federal buildings, the standard card covers everything.

Documents You Need to Bring

Whether you’re getting a standard ID or a REAL ID, you must bring original documents in four categories. Photocopies and temporary documents are not accepted.⁷

Proof of identity and legal presence. A valid U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, or an official birth certificate issued by a U.S. state or territory. Hospital-issued birth documents and birth registration notifications do not count.
Two proofs of Virginia residency. Acceptable primary documents include a mortgage statement, a residential lease, or a utility bill no more than two months old. Cell phone bills are not accepted. You can use two primary documents, or one primary and one secondary.
Proof of Social Security number. Your Social Security card, a W-2 form showing the full number, or a payroll stub showing the full number. Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers are not accepted.
Proof of any name change, if applicable. If your name differs across your other documents, bring a certified marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order for each change in your history.

Your legal name must appear the same across all documents. Nicknames and abbreviations aren’t accepted. If you’ve had several name changes, you’ll need a certified document for each one to trace the chain from the name on your birth certificate to your current name.⁸

Adults and minors age 15 and older use the Driver’s License and Identification Card Application, Form DL 1P. You can complete it online in advance or fill out a paper copy at the office.⁹

How to Apply

First-time applicants must apply in person at a DMV customer service center. You can schedule an appointment through the DMV’s online portal to avoid long waits. At the counter, a service representative will review your completed application, verify your original documents, and take a digital photo.

You’ll leave with a temporary ID card receipt to use while your permanent card is printed.⁷ The physical card arrives by mail. Allow about 15 days for delivery, and don’t contact the DMV about a missing card until that window has passed.¹⁰

What It Costs

A Virginia ID card costs $2 per year. The card must be issued for at least three years and no more than eight, so the fee runs from $10 to $16.¹ The same pricing applies to originals, renewals, duplicates, and reissues.⁴

Applicants 21 or older who want the scenic version of the card, which features Virginia landscape imagery, pay an additional $5.⁴

ID Cards for Children Under 15

Parents can get ID cards for children under age 15 at any DMV customer service center.¹¹ Children use a different form, the Identification Card Application for Minors Under Age 15 (Form DL 5), rather than the DL 1P used by older applicants.¹²

A parent or legal guardian must sign the application. The same document requirements apply. The fee follows the same $2-per-year structure, but a child ID card expires on the last day of the child’s birth month in the year they turn 16, regardless of when the card was issued.²

Renewing and Replacing Your Card

Virginia ID cards are valid for a maximum of eight years and expire on your birthday at the end of the issuance period. If you already hold a REAL ID or don’t want to upgrade to one, you can renew a standard ID online. Upgrading from a standard card to a REAL ID at renewal requires an in-person visit with original documents.⁶

If you let your card expire, the DMV may require an in-person visit to re-verify your legal presence in the United States, even if your previous renewal was done online. Renew before the expiration date to keep the online option open.

A replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged card costs $10. You’ll need to confirm that the name, address, and other information on file are still accurate.¹³

Penalties for False Information

Providing false information on an identification card application is a criminal offense in Virginia. Using a fake name, giving a fictitious address, or concealing material facts is a Class 2 misdemeanor. If the false information was provided in support of a felony, such as identity theft, the charge is a Class 4 felony.¹⁴ The DMV cross-references application data against federal databases.

1
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Adult ID Card
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Get an Identification Card
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Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-345 – Issuance of Special Identification Cards; Fee; Confidentiality; Penalties
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Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 46.2 Chapter 3 Article 7 – Form of Licenses; Identity Documents Issued by Department
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. REAL ID
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Renew Your ID Card Online
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Virginia Driver’s License and Identification Card Required Documents
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Name Change Documents
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License and Identification Card Application
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Renew ID Card
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Child ID Card
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Identification Card Application for Minors Under Age 15
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Replace Your Identification Card
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Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-345.3 – Issuance of Identification Privilege Cards; Fee