Washington State ID Card: Documents, Steps, and Fees

To apply for a Washington State ID card, you visit a Department of Licensing (DOL) office in person with documents proving your identity, Social Security number, and Washington address, pay the fee, and have your photo taken. If you have never held a Washington license or ID, you can save time at the counter by pre-applying online through License Express first. You walk out with a temporary paper receipt, and the actual card arrives in the mail within 7 to 10 business days.¹

Who Qualifies

Any Washington resident who does not hold a valid Washington driver’s license can apply for an identicard.² There is no minimum age. Children, teenagers, and seniors all qualify if they can meet the documentation rules. You cannot hold both a Washington ID card and a Washington driver’s license at the same time; if you currently drive and want to switch, you surrender the license during the transaction.

Applicants 25 and under who cannot produce standard identity documents on their own can bring a parent or legal guardian. The adult shows their own proof of identity along with paperwork establishing the family relationship, such as a certified birth certificate or adoption papers.³

Choose Standard or Enhanced Before You Apply

Washington issues two versions, and the difference matters at the airport. Since May 7, 2025, a standard Washington ID card is no longer accepted for boarding domestic flights. TSA requires a REAL ID-compliant credential or another acceptable form of identification like a passport.⁴ The standard ID still works for in-state identification purposes and does not indicate residency or legal status on its face.⁵

The Enhanced ID (EID) is REAL ID-compliant, so it works at TSA checkpoints. It also satisfies the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, meaning you can use it to re-enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean at a land or sea crossing without a passport.⁶ The tradeoff: you must prove U.S. citizenship every time you apply or renew.

What to Bring

The DOL asks you to prove three things: identity and date of birth, your Social Security number, and your Washington residence address.⁷

Acceptable identity documents include a valid or expired U.S. passport, a certified birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization, a certificate of citizenship, a tribal identification card, or a driver’s license from any state.³ For residency, bring documents showing your Washington address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or signed lease.

Every document should reflect your current legal name exactly. If you recently changed your name through marriage, divorce, or court order, bring that paperwork so all the names match. Enhanced ID applicants also need proof of U.S. citizenship; a U.S. passport or a certified U.S. birth certificate covers both identity and citizenship in a single document.⁶

The Application Steps

Pre-Apply Online (If You’re New to Washington DOL)

If you’ve never held a Washington license or ID, start through the DOL’s License Express portal. Creating an account and pre-applying generates a WDL number you use to schedule an appointment at a licensing office.⁸ If you’ve had a Washington license or ID before, skip pre-application and go straight to the renewal or replacement path online.

Visit a Licensing Office

At the office, you hand over your original identity documents, pay the fee, and have your photo taken. You leave with a temporary paper ID. It confirms the transaction, but it does not include your photo or signature, so it cannot serve as valid identification on its own. Your permanent card arrives by mail within 7 to 10 business days.¹

What It Costs

Washington charges roughly $10 per year plus a $1 technology fee, so the total depends on the term you pick.² The current fees:

Standard ID: $61 for six years, or $81 for eight years
Enhanced ID: $103 for six years, or $137 for eight years

Renewal fees match original issuance fees.⁹

Reduced-Fee and No-Cost Options

Several groups qualify for a $5 ID card regardless of the term. You qualify if you receive public assistance benefits through the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), participate in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, or are under 25 without a permanent home address.⁹ To claim the reduced fee, bring one of the following: a DSHS-issued identicard request form, a DSHS benefits approval letter showing your current certification period, a Washington Connection benefit account printout, or a WIC provider confirmation letter. Residents under 25 without a permanent address don’t need a verification letter.¹⁰

People being released from a juvenile rehabilitation facility, correctional facility, or community facility are also eligible for a reduced-cost card at the actual production cost.² Choosing to upgrade a reduced-fee ID to an Enhanced version still triggers the enhanced surcharge of roughly $7 per year.

If You Don’t Have Standard Documents or a Permanent Address

The DOL has a specific process for residents lacking typical documentation or stable housing. If your identity documents aren’t on the approved list, visit a licensing office and ask to speak with a supervisor. The office can conduct an identity review using alternative documents.¹⁰

For the mailing address, you can ask a shelter, community organization, or church for permission to use theirs. Public school students can contact their school’s homeless education liaison for help, and foster care youth can have a caseworker submit an identicard request form on their behalf.¹⁰

After the Card Arrives

Your ID is valid for the term you selected, six or eight years, and the DOL sends a renewal notice before expiration. You can renew through License Express or in person; online renewal reuses your existing photo, while a licensing office visit is required for a new photo.¹¹ If the card is lost, stolen, or damaged before it expires, you can order a replacement through License Express or at an office.¹² In both cases, the receipt you get on the day cannot be used as photo ID on its own, and the physical card takes 7 to 10 business days to reach you. Plan renewals early so you’re not without a valid card during the mailing window.

One last note if you’re leaving driving behind: switching from a Washington driver’s license to an ID card costs less than a first-time application, starting at $54 for a six-year standard card.¹³ The license is surrendered at the counter because Washington does not let you hold both.

1
Washington State Department of Licensing. Get an ID Card
2
Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.20.117 – Identicards
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Washington State Department of Licensing. Documents for Proof of Identity
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Transportation Security Administration. TSA Reminds Eastern Washington Residents About REAL ID Enforcement
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Washington State Department of Licensing. REAL ID
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Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.20.202 – Enhanced Drivers License and Identicard
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Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.20.035 – Evidence of Identity and Birth Date
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Washington State Department of Licensing. Pre-Apply Online
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Washington State Department of Licensing. Driver Licensing Fees
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Washington State Department of Licensing. ID Help for the Unhoused
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Washington State Department of Licensing. Renew ID Card
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Washington State Department of Licensing. Replace ID Card
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Washington State Department of Licensing. Change Your Driver License to an ID Card