To vote in person in Wisconsin, you must show one of a short list of acceptable photo IDs before you receive a ballot. Wisconsin voter ID requirements apply to every election, including primaries, general elections, and special elections, and absentee voters must send a copy of their ID with their ballot application. If you don’t have an accepted ID, the state will issue you one at no charge.
Which Photo IDs Are Accepted
Four common documents are accepted as long as they are either current or expired no earlier than the date of the most recent general election:
- A Wisconsin driver license issued by the Department of Transportation, valid even if your driving privileges are suspended or revoked. It does not need to be REAL ID-compliant.
- A Wisconsin state ID card, also issued by the DOT. It does not need to be REAL ID-compliant.
- A U.S. military ID from any branch of the uniformed services.
- A U.S. passport book or passport card.
Several other IDs qualify under different rules:
- A certificate of U.S. naturalization, valid only if issued within two years before the election.
- An identification card from a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin.
- A Veterans Affairs ID card that is unexpired or carries no expiration date.
- A Wisconsin DOT driving receipt or ID card receipt that is unexpired.
Your ID does not need to show your current address. Poll workers check only whether the name on your ID conforms to the name on the poll list and whether the photo reasonably resembles you. An exact name match is not required; nicknames and name variations are accepted.2Wisconsin Elections Commission. Election Day Voting in Wisconsin
Student IDs Have Their Own Rules
A student ID from an accredited Wisconsin university, college, or technical college can be used to vote, but only if it shows three things: the date it was issued, the student’s signature, and an expiration date no more than two years after issuance.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 5.02(6m) – Definitions Many school IDs don’t carry a signature or a short enough expiration window and won’t qualify.
If your student ID has expired, you can still use it, but you must also bring a separate document proving current enrollment, such as a tuition fee receipt, enrollment verification letter, or class schedule.3Wisconsin Elections Commission. Acceptable Photo IDs Check your card well before Election Day. If it falls short, you have time to get a free state ID.
Absentee Voters Must Submit a Copy
If you vote absentee by mail, you must include a copy of your photo ID with your absentee ballot application. The municipal clerk verifies that the name on the ID matches the name on your application and will not send a ballot until the copy is received.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 6.87 – Absent Voting Procedurep>
The simplest way to submit the copy is through the MyVote Wisconsin online portal, which lets you upload a photo of your ID from your phone.5My Vote Wisconsin. Request an Absentee Ballot You can also mail a photocopy to your municipal clerk. If you have already provided a copy with a previous absentee ballot and haven’t changed your name or address since then, you don’t need to send it again.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 6.87 – Absent Voting Procedure
Who Is Exempt From the Photo ID Requirement
A few groups of voters are not required to provide photo ID, though the exemptions generally apply only to absentee voting.
- Active-duty military members, their families living away from home, and permanent overseas residents do not need to provide photo ID when voting absentee. If they vote in person, the standard requirement applies.
- Voters who cannot leave their home due to age, illness, or disability may self-designate as indefinitely confined when requesting an absentee ballot. A witness signature on the ballot envelope replaces the photo ID. In-person voting still requires ID.
- Residents of nursing homes and residential care facilities who vote through Special Voting Deputies can submit a statement signed by the two deputies in place of a photo ID copy.6Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 6.875 – Absentee Voting in Certain Residential Care Facilities and Retirement Homes
- Victims of domestic abuse and certain other individuals can apply for confidential elector status through their municipal clerk. Once approved, they receive a special identification card and serial number that replace standard photo ID at the polls.
How to Get a Free State ID for Voting
If you don’t have any accepted photo ID, Wisconsin issues a state ID card at no charge when you request one specifically for voting. Visit a DMV customer service center in person and bring:
- Proof of your legal name and date of birth, typically a certified birth certificate
- Proof of identity, such as a Social Security card or Medicaid or Medicare card
- Proof of Wisconsin residency, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or lease
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal status
- Your Social Security number
You’ll complete Form MV3004, have your photo taken, and leave with a paper receipt that is valid photo ID for voting for 45 days. The permanent plastic card arrives in the mail, typically within 10 business days.8Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Wisconsin Driver Licenses and Identification (ID) Cards
If You Don’t Have a Birth Certificate
Missing documentation doesn’t disqualify you. Wisconsin’s ID Petition Process is built for voters who can’t produce a birth certificate or other core document. Bring whatever you have, complete Form MV3004 and Form MV3012, and the state will attempt to verify your identity through other government records at no cost.9Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Wisconsin ID Card for Voting Purposes – Petition Process You’ll receive a photo ID document in the mail that you can use to vote while verification continues. Start as early as you can before any election.
Photo ID Is Not the Same as Proof of Residence
Photo ID is what you show to receive your ballot. Proof of residence is a separate document, required only when you register to vote, and the accepted items are different. You can register online or by mail up to 20 days before an election, in person at the municipal clerk’s office through the Friday before Election Day, or at the polling place on Election Day itself.
Proof of residence must show your name and current residential address. Accepted documents include a current Wisconsin driver license or state ID, a utility bill dated within 90 days of Election Day, a bank or credit card statement, a paycheck or pay stub, a residential lease effective on the date of registration, a real estate tax bill for the current or prior year, and government-issued documents such as vehicle registrations, hunting or fishing licenses, and benefit notices from programs like Social Security, Medicare, or BadgerCare. You can display these on a phone, tablet, or computer rather than on paper.10MyVote Wisconsin. Proof of Residence for Voter Registration Homeless voters can use a letter from a public or private social service agency identifying them and describing where they live.
If You Arrive Without Acceptable ID
You will not be turned away. Poll workers will offer you a provisional ballot, which is sealed in a separate envelope and is not counted on election night.11Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 6.97 – Voting Procedure for Individuals Not Providing Required Proof of Identification or Residence
You then have until 4:00 p.m. on the Friday after the election to bring valid photo ID to your municipal clerk’s office. Meet that deadline and your ballot is counted. Miss it and the ballot is discarded.12My Vote Wisconsin. Provisional Ballots The same cure process and deadline apply if you voted provisionally because you lacked proof of residence when registering on Election Day. Four days is a tight window to track down a document and reach the clerk, so if you have any doubt about your ID, sort it out before Election Day rather than relying on the provisional process.