Virginia ID Card 2026: Who Can Get One, Cost and REAL ID

Who can get a Virginia ID card?

Any Virginia resident, of any age, who doesn’t already hold a learner’s permit or driver’s license. You can have a license or an ID card, not both. Adults apply with form DL 1P and children under 15 with form DL 5, and both bring the same documents as for a license.

An adult card expires on your birthday and lasts up to eight years. A child’s card expires on the last day of the birth month in the year the child turns an age divisible by 5, and a card issued to a child of 13 or 14 expires on their 16th birthday. Cards are mailed, and the post office won’t forward them.

Proof of residency in Virginia →

Virginia ID fees

Item	Fee
ID card, per year	$2
ID card, least you pay	$10
ID card, most you pay	$16
REAL ID, one time	$10

The REAL ID fee is on top of the card or license you’re getting.

What are the Virginia DMV REAL ID requirements?

REAL ID is a choice in Virginia. A standard card or license will show “Federal Limits Apply” at your next renewal. Since May 7, 2025, the federal government requires a REAL ID compliant card, or another approved ID, to board a domestic flight or enter secure federal facilities, and some military bases may no longer accept standard cards.

You need the same documents as for a first license, all originals, and you must bring them to a customer service center, even if you already hold a Virginia card. You can start the application online, but DMV won’t ask you to upload documents, and sites offering to pre-scan them aren’t connected to DMV. An Employment Authorization Document isn’t accepted for REAL ID.

Virginia DMV: REAL ID ↗