Voter identification requirements

The three broad categories

States generally fall into one of these groups, and the details inside each group still vary.

• Strict photo identification. A specific list of photo documents is required, and a voter without one casts a provisional ballot and must return with a document within a set period.
• Photo requested, alternatives accepted. A photo document is requested, and a voter without one may sign an affidavit or present a non-photo document such as a utility bill or bank statement.
• No document requested for most voters. Identity is confirmed through the registration record and a signature, with the federal first-time voter rule still applying.

First-time voters who registered by mail

If you registered by mail and did not include a driver license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number that the state could verify, federal law requires identification the first time you vote in a federal election. Providing that number during registration usually avoids the step entirely.

Mail ballots have their own rule

Depending on the state, a mail ballot envelope may require a signature only, a signature plus an identification number, or a photocopy of a document. Read the envelope instructions carefully, and see our vote by mail guide for the deadlines that come with it.

If you do not have the required document

• Ask about the free or reduced cost identification your state may offer for voting.
• Ask whether an affidavit or alternate document is accepted in your state.
• Ask what a provisional ballot requires and exactly when the document must be presented.
• Contact your local election office early, not on Election Day, so you have time to gather what you need.

What this page is not

This is a map of the categories, not legal advice, and it is not a list of accepted documents for any specific state. Document lists change, and a stale list is worse than no list. Use the official page for your jurisdiction.

Questions worth asking your election office

• What identification is accepted here for in-person voting, and is the list different for a mail ballot?
• Am I subject to the federal first-time voter identification rule?
• If I vote provisionally because I lack identification, what must I bring and by when?
• Does this state offer a free identification card for voting, and where do I get one?