Identification Cards

Choose Your ID Card

There are two kinds of identification cards available: the regular Washington photo ID card and the newer Enhanced ID Card.

The former helps you write checks, board airplanes, check into hotels, and enter nightclubs while the latter helps you do all that plus acts as a passport alternative for re-entering the country at land ans sea borders―just like the Enhanced Driver License.

Applying for a Regular ID Card

Follow these easy steps to apply for a regular Washington photo ID card:

1. Apply for an ID card in person at any Licensing Service Office (LSO).
2. You'll have to provide proof of identity in order to get your ID card.
3. Pay a $20 fee.
4. Have your photo taken.

Applying for an Enhanced ID Card

Applying for an Enhanced ID Card in Washington requires a few more steps:

1. Make an appointment at your nearest EDL/ID office location.
2. Complete the application at the EDL/ID office.
3. Pay all applicable fees.
4. Show proof of residency, citizenship, and identity as well as your Social Security number.
5. Undergo an interview with a licensing services representative.
7. Sign the biometric identification and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) declarations.
8. Get your picture taken.

Renewal and Replacement

Normally, you’ll renew your ID card five years after it’s issued, and you can renew it up to 90 days before that date.

Just as the application processes are different, so are the replacement and renewal processes.

Replacing and Renewing Regular ID Cards

You must apply for your first ID card in person at an
LSO, but after that you may be eligible for online replacement or renewal.

For an online transaction, the Department of Licensing will need to have your digital photo, Social Security number, and ZIP code on file. The fee is $15, and you'll need a credit card for payment.

It should take no more than 10 days for you to receive your replacement ID card in the mail, but it could take up to 45 days. If it's been any longer than that, please call (360) 902-4071 for the status of your renewal or replacement.

Note that you are ineligible for online replacement if you have:

• Changed your address within the last 30 days of renewing your ID card.

• Changed your name.

• Replaced your ID card via the Internet within a year of applying for a new one.

Replacing and Renewing Enhanced ID Cards

Renewing your Enhanced ID Card is pretty simple. Just visit your EDL/ID office location with your current Enhanced ID Card and the appropriate fee. Before you head out:

• Make sure you can verify your address if it isn’t the same as the address listed with the USPS.

• Find out if you need to take proof of residency. According to Washington, if there are no results when you enter your address in the USPS Zip Code Lookup, you may need proof.

Replacing an Enhanced ID Card is simple, too. Visit your EDL/ID office location with acceptable identification and the appropriate fee. And, if you’re younger than 18, take a parent or guardian.

Fees

• A new or renewed ID is $20.

• A replacement for a lost or stolen ID is $15.