What Is an Enhanced Driver’s License in Colorado?

Colorado does not issue an Enhanced Driver’s License. Only five states, all on the Canadian border, offer that credential: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington.¹ If you’re a Colorado resident looking for an ID that works for domestic flights and federal buildings, what you actually want is a Colorado REAL ID. If you need to cross a land or sea border into the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean without a passport book, no Colorado-issued license will do that for you; you’ll need a U.S. passport or passport card.

Why Colorado Doesn’t Issue One

An Enhanced Driver’s License doubles as proof of U.S. citizenship for land and sea crossings from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. It carries a radio frequency identification chip tied to a Department of Homeland Security database so customs officers can verify identity electronically at the border.¹ The program exists for border-state residents, which is why only those five states participate. EDLs are not valid for international flights in any case; those still require a passport.

What To Use at the Border Instead

If you live in Colorado and plan to drive into Canada or Mexico, or take a cruise that returns to a U.S. port, carry a U.S. passport or U.S. passport card. A Colorado driver’s license, even a REAL ID compliant one, is not accepted as proof of citizenship at a border crossing.

What Colorado Offers: The REAL ID

Colorado has been a mandatory REAL ID state since 2013. Every eligible resident who applies for or renews a license automatically receives a REAL ID compliant credential.² You can spot a compliant license by the star in the upper right corner. Cards issued before 2020 show a gold star; newer ones show a black star.³

A standard Colorado license looks different. It carries a black banner reading “NOT VALID FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION, VOTING, OR FEDERAL PUBLIC BENEFIT PURPOSES.” It cannot be used to board a flight or enter a federal facility.⁴ Standard credentials are issued under the Colorado Roads and Community Safety Act and are typically valid for three years. If you pull out your license and see the black banner instead of a star, you’ll need to upgrade before your next flight.

What a REAL ID Lets You Do

A REAL ID compliant Colorado license is accepted for boarding domestic commercial flights, entering federal buildings, and accessing military bases.⁵ TSA began enforcing the requirement on May 7, 2025.⁶ Since most Colorado residents have been receiving REAL IDs by default since 2013, the people most likely to be caught short are those who specifically opted for a standard license, or who moved from another state and haven’t transferred their license yet.

Other IDs TSA Accepts

You don’t have to upgrade your Colorado license if you already carry one of these at the airport:

U.S. passport or passport card
DHS trusted traveler cards: Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, or FAST
U.S. military ID, including dependent IDs
Permanent resident card
Foreign passport
Photo ID issued by a federally recognized tribe

TSA also accepts certain mobile driver’s licenses from approved states, but the mobile version has to be based on a REAL ID compliant credential. A temporary paper license is not accepted.⁷

Who Qualifies for a Colorado REAL ID

You can receive a REAL ID compliant credential in Colorado if you are a U.S. citizen, a permanent legal resident, a citizen of a Freely Associated State (Marshall Islands, Micronesia, or Palau), or a commercial driver’s license applicant, whether temporary or permanent. You also have to be a current Colorado resident and prove it.³ People who are temporarily lawfully present or undocumented can still get a standard Colorado license, but it will carry the black banner.

Documents You’ll Need

Colorado requires originals or certified copies. No photocopies, no laminated documents, no phone photos. The requirements fall into three categories.⁸

Identity and Lawful Presence

The simplest path is one document that covers both at once: an unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, a certificate of naturalization, or an unexpired permanent resident card. Otherwise, combine one identity document (such as a certified U.S. birth certificate) with a secondary document. The Colorado DMV documents page lists every acceptable combination.⁸

Social Security Number

You can bring a document showing your SSN (Social Security card, W-2, or 1099) or provide the number verbally at the appointment. Either way, the DMV verifies it directly with the Social Security Administration.⁹

Colorado Residency

Bring two documents showing your name and current Colorado street address, each dated within one year, each showing a physical address rather than a P.O. box. Utility bills, bank statements, a lease, a mortgage statement, a pay stub, an insurance policy, or vehicle registration all work. Electronic versions are accepted.⁹

If Your Name Has Changed

If your current legal name doesn’t match the name on your birth certificate or prior license, you need certified documents bridging every change. A marriage certificate covers a married name. A divorce decree works if it specifically states your name was restored. A court order of legal name change covers everything else.¹⁰

One step people skip: update your name with the Social Security Administration first. The SSA typically takes 24 to 48 hours to process a name change, so don’t book your DMV appointment for the same day as your SSA visit. If the names on your documents and your SSA record don’t match, the DMV won’t process your application.¹⁰

How To Apply

You have to appear in person at a Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles office. Locations run primarily on appointments, with limited first-come, first-served walk-in availability. Booking ahead is strongly recommended.¹¹ Use the DMV appointment page to choose a location, service, date, and time. You’ll receive a confirmation to bring or display at check-in.

At the appointment, staff review your original documents, take your photograph, and collect your signature. If you’re transferring a REAL ID from another state, you still need to bring the full document set as if applying for the first time.¹¹

What It Costs

A Colorado REAL ID compliant driver’s license renewal costs $32.00 under the fee schedule effective June 30, 2025.¹² Fees for first-time issuance, ID cards, and commercial licenses are posted on the Colorado DMV fee page.¹³ If you have to order a certified birth certificate because you can’t locate yours, expect an additional fee to your state’s vital records office, typically between $10 and $45 depending on the state where you were born.

1
Department of Homeland Security. Enhanced Drivers Licenses: What Are They?
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Colorado is REAL ID Ready
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Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. REAL ID and Colorado
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Standard Licenses and IDs
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USAGov. How to Get a REAL ID and Use It for Travel
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Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
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Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Required Identification Documents to Get Your Permit, Driver License, or Identification Card
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Colorado Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. DR 2300A US Citizens and Permanent Residents
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Update, Change, and Manage Your Name on Your Driver License
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Welcome to the Appointment Scheduling Information Page
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Colorado DMV Announces New Fee Schedules for June 30, 2025 and July 1, 2025
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees