What Do I Need to Get a State ID in Missouri?

To get a state ID in Missouri, called a nondriver license, you visit a Department of Revenue license office in person with documents proving your identity, Social Security number, and Missouri residency, plus proof of lawful status if you are not a U.S. citizen. The card costs $24 and arrives in the mail within about two weeks. Before you go, decide whether you want a REAL ID-compliant card or a standard one, because that choice changes what you need to bring.

REAL ID or Standard

Since May 7, 2025, a standard Missouri nondriver license is no longer accepted at airport security checkpoints or certain federal facilities. Only a REAL ID-compliant card works for those purposes.¹ A standard card still works fine as a general photo ID for things like cashing checks, proving your age, or voting. A valid U.S. passport also gets you through TSA if you don’t want the REAL ID version.

Both cards cost the same and look nearly identical, except the REAL ID has a gold star in the upper corner. The document requirements are where they diverge. A REAL ID application requires proof of lawful status as a separate category, two residency documents from two different source types, and all documents must be originals or certified copies. A standard application requires only one residency document and has slightly more flexibility on identity documents.²

Proof of Identity and Date of Birth

You need one document showing your full legal name and date of birth. The primary options for both card types are:³

A certified U.S. birth certificate issued by a state vital records agency with an embossed, stamped, or raised seal. Hospital-issued birth certificates do not qualify.
A valid, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card.
A Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship.

A REAL ID application also accepts a valid, unexpired out-of-state REAL ID-compliant license or a Permanent Resident Card as identity proof.⁴

For a standard card, an expired Missouri license or nondriver ID works as identity proof if it expired within the past 184 days. A photocopy of a certified birth certificate is also acceptable when accompanied by a U.S. military ID or military discharge papers.²

Proof of Lawful Status

U.S. citizens satisfy this requirement automatically with the same birth certificate, passport, or citizenship certificate they use for identity. Non-citizens need a separate, valid, unexpired immigration document. Missouri accepts:³

Permanent Resident Card (I-551).
Employment Authorization Document (I-766).
Foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and I-94.
Reentry Permit (I-327) or Refugee Travel Document (I-571).
I-797 Notice of Action Approval accompanied by other USCIS documents.
Proof of a pending asylum application (I-589).

A nondriver license issued to someone with temporary immigration status expires when that status expires. Non-citizens applying for a REAL ID must present lawful status documents at every application, not just the first.

Proof of Social Security Number

You need one document showing your name and full nine-digit Social Security number. The document cannot be laminated or altered. Accepted options include:⁴

Social Security card, signed if you are 18 or older.
W-2 form.
SSA-1099 or Non-SSA-1099 form.
Pay stub showing your name and full SSN.

If you already have a Missouri license or nondriver ID issued since your SSN was first verified, you may be able to state your number verbally at the office instead of bringing a document.² If you have never been assigned a Social Security number, you need a letter from the Social Security Administration confirming that. For non-citizens applying for a REAL ID, that letter is only accepted alongside an unexpired foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and I-94.⁴

Lost your card? You can request a free replacement from the Social Security Administration, subject to a limit of three per year and ten over your lifetime. Legal name changes do not count toward those limits. Adults with a my Social Security online account may be able to order one without visiting an SSA office.⁵

Proof of Missouri Residency

Each residency document must show your name and current residential address. A standard nondriver license requires one document; a REAL ID card requires two from two different source types, generally issued within the past year.² Accepted documents include:⁶

A utility bill for phone, water, gas, electric, trash, sewer, internet, or cable.
A bank, credit union, credit card, or investment account statement.
A voter registration card.
A government check or paycheck.
A property tax or real estate tax receipt.
A mortgage statement, lease agreement, or deed.
A homeowner’s or auto insurance policy or card.
A W-2 or 1099 form.
An educational transcript for the current school year from a Missouri institution.
A professional license that shows your home address.
A driver license or motor vehicle renewal postcard.
A Missouri Safe at Home card issued by the Secretary of State for domestic violence survivors.
A letter issued within the past 90 days from a homeless shelter confirming you are in their residential program.

Current REAL ID cardholders whose residency documents were scanned during a previous visit can self-certify their address at renewal if nothing has changed.

Proof of Any Legal Name Change

If the name on your identity document does not match your current legal name, bring certified proof of every name change in the chain. If your birth certificate shows your maiden name and you have been married twice, you need both marriage certificates connecting each name to the next. Accepted documents include a marriage certificate or license, divorce decree, amended birth certificate, or other court order.³

All name-change documents must be originals or certified copies. Photocopies and faxes will not work. A marriage certificate specifically needs to be the registered version issued after the ceremony, not the license authorizing the marriage.

Fees and Special Cases

A Missouri nondriver license costs $24 whether you choose the three-year or six-year option, and whether it is a standard or REAL ID card.⁷ Applicants age 70 and older receive a nonexpiring card for the same fee.⁸

If you already hold a non-REAL ID card and want to upgrade to a REAL ID version, Missouri waives the duplicate license fee for that switch under Section 302.185. You still need to bring the full set of REAL ID-required documents.⁹

Missouri has no minimum age for a nondriver license.⁷ For a minor, a parent or legal guardian should plan to come along, since the application will likely require a parent’s signature. Bring the child’s certified birth certificate, Social Security card, and your own residency documents showing the family’s Missouri address.

Applicants age 65 and older who are renewing a standard card are exempt from presenting a birth certificate or proof of birthplace, as long as their current card has not been expired for more than 184 days. That exemption does not extend to first-time applicants or anyone requesting a REAL ID upgrade.

At the License Office

p>Everything happens in person. You cannot apply for a Missouri nondriver license online or by mail. Bring your original documents to any Department of Revenue license office; the DOR’s online location map lets you search by address and filter by distance.¹⁰

Staff will review your documents, collect the fee, and take your photograph. You walk out with a temporary paper ID that works immediately. The permanent card is produced at a central secure facility and mailed to your residential address within 10 to 15 business days.¹¹ Hold onto the temporary document until the real card arrives.

Renewals and Replacements

Renewal follows the same general process: visit a license office with your documents and pay the fee. If your address has not changed and your documents were scanned during a prior visit, you can self-certify your address instead of bringing fresh residency documents.²

If your card is lost or stolen, you apply for a duplicate at the license office. A name change also requires a duplicate. Because a new signature and photo are captured, plan for the same in-office visit as an original application.

1
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
2
Missouri Department of Revenue. Documents for Driver License, Nondriver ID, and Instruction Permit
3
Cornell Law School. Missouri Code 12 CSR 10-24.448 – Documents Required for Issuance of a Driver License, Nondriver License, or Instruction Permit
4
Missouri Department of Revenue. List of Acceptable Documents for REAL ID-Compliant Document Processing
5
Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
6
Missouri Department of Revenue. List of Acceptable Documents for REAL ID-Compliant Document Processing
7
Missouri Department of Revenue. Permit/Driver License/Nondriver ID Fees
8
Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Revised Statutes Section 302.181
9
Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Revised Statutes Section 302.185
10
Missouri Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle and Driver License Office Location Map
11
Missouri Department of Revenue. New Missouri Driver Licenses and Nondriver ID Cards FAQs