Get a state ID card or a REAL ID

Carrying your passport as everyday identification is a bad idea — it is expensive to replace and its loss can stall an immigration case for months. A state ID card does the same job for around $20 to $40, is issued by the same agency that issues driving licences, and does not require you to drive.

Cost

Roughly $20–$40, varying by state

Issued by

Your state DMV, not the federal government

REAL ID enforced

Since 7 May 2025 for domestic flights

You need

Identity, Social Security number, lawful status, two proofs of address

State ID versus driving licence

A state identification card proves who you are; a driving licence proves who you are and that you may drive. You cannot hold both at once in the same state — the ID card is for people who do not drive, and it converts to a licence if you later pass the tests described in getting a driver's licence.

Both are issued by the state, so requirements, fees and the name of the agency differ everywhere. Your state's official page is the only authority on the details.

What REAL ID means

REAL ID is a federal standard for how states verify identity before issuing a card. Compliant cards carry a marking in the top corner — usually a star, sometimes a bear or a flag depending on the state.

Enforcement began on 7 May 2025. Since then a card without that marking is not accepted at airport security for domestic flights or for entering certain federal buildings. It remains perfectly valid for driving, for proving your age and for everything else.

To get one you must produce, at minimum:

• Proof of full legal name and date of birth
• Your Social Security number
• Two proofs of address at your principal residence
• Evidence of lawful status

States commonly require more than this, so check your state's list before travelling to an office. Names must match across documents — a passport reading one way and a marriage certificate another needs the linking document as well.

Lawful status and expiry dates

Where your status has an end date, the card is typically issued to expire on the same date. That means renewing your immigration document and renewing your ID become linked tasks, and the DMV will want to see the new document before extending the card.

Some states issue driving privilege cards to residents who cannot demonstrate lawful status. These are valid for driving within the state but are not REAL ID-compliant and are marked accordingly. Availability varies by state and the rules change; check your own state's current position rather than relying on what applied when you arrived.

Keeping track of which document expires when is worth doing deliberately — see tracking your document expiry dates.