Pennsylvania state ID card
Get a Pennsylvania ID card so you can stop carrying your passport.
The short answer
Getting a Pennsylvania photo ID card means bringing the original Homeland Security document for your status and proof of where you live.1, 2 The first card costs $43.50.3 You can apply if you are lawfully present in the United States and not a citizen.4 If you cannot get a Social Security Number yet, you bring a letter from the Social Security Administration saying you are ineligible.5 A check on your immigration documents that does not clear can take 30 or more federal working days.6
How it goes
- 1You arriveYou have moved to Pennsylvania and you need ID you can carry.
- 2Your documentsYou gather proof of who you are, where you live, and your status.
- 3You applyYou take them to the office that issues ID cards.
- 4Your cardYour ID card is issued, and your passport stays at home.
What it costs
Whether you can get one
Documents you need
- Proof of who you areYou bring the Homeland Security document for your own status, and it has to be the original. A copy is not accepted at the counter.1
- Address proofs you needEvery proof of address has to show your name and your Pennsylvania street address.2
- Proof of where you liveA computer-generated bill for your cellphone, cable, electricity or gas counts, as long as it shows your name and address.8
- If no bill is in your nameIf you live with someone and nothing is billed in your name, you still need two proofs. One of them can be that person coming with you, carrying their own licence or photo ID.9
Your Social Security Number
What proves your number
For a REAL ID card you have to show the Social Security card itself. The substitutes are accepted only for a standard card that is not a REAL ID.10
If you cannot get a number yet
If you cannot get a Social Security Number yet, Pennsylvania requires a letter from the Social Security Administration saying you are ineligible, and you bring it every time you apply.5
If your status has an end date
When your card expires
On temporary status, your first REAL ID card expires on the same day your immigration document does.11
How your status is checked
PennDOT checks your immigration documents electronically, through the federal SAVE system run by US Citizenship and Immigration Services.12
How long that check can take
When the first check does not clear, SAVE can take 30 or more federal working days to answer. Plan your visit around that.6
Where to go
Other states
Sources
Every numbered fact above is quoted from the page that publishes it, in the words it uses.
- 1
“Individuals must present the appropriate DHS-issued documents establishing lawful presence. Original documents must be presented at the time of application.”
pa.gov/…/pub%20195nc.pdfChecked August 25, 2026
- 2
“The proof of residency documents must have your name and official Pennsylvania street address on it.”
pa.gov/…/pub%20195nc.pdfChecked August 25, 2026
- 3
“IDENTIFICATION CARDS Initial $43.50”
pa.gov/…/fs-dlf.pdfChecked August 25, 2026
- 4
“If you are a lawfully present non-U.S. citizen, you are eligible to apply for a REAL ID driver's license or ID card.”
pa.gov/…/real-id-info-for-non-us-citizensChecked August 25, 2026
- 5
“If ineligible for a Social Security Number, a letter from the Social Security Administration indicating ineligibility is required and must be presented with each application.”
pa.gov/…/pub%20195nc.pdfChecked August 25, 2026
- 6
“Additional and third level verification responses can take 30 or more federal working days to be provided by SAVE.”
pa.gov/…/pub%20195nc.pdfChecked August 25, 2026
- 7
“A Pennsylvania photo identification card is issued to any Pennsylvania resident who is at least 10 years of age.”
pa.gov/services/dmv/get-a-photo-idChecked August 25, 2026
- 8
“A computer-generated utility bill showing your name and address (cellphone, cable, electric, gas)”
pa.gov/…/pub%20195nc.pdfChecked August 25, 2026
- 9
“If you reside with someone, and have no bills in your name, you will still need to provide two proofs of residency. One proof is to bring the person with whom you reside along with their Driver's License or Photo ID to the Driver License Center.”
pa.gov/…/pub%20195nc.pdfChecked August 25, 2026
- 10
“The below is only applicable for customers applying for a standard, Non-REAL ID driver's license or ID card. Customers wishing to obtain a REAL ID driver license or ID card will need to present a social security card.”
pa.gov/…/customers-who-do-not-have-a-social-security-cardChecked August 25, 2026
- 11
“If you have temporary immigration status, the expiration date on your first REAL ID product will match the expiration date on your immigration documentation.”
pa.gov/…/real-id-info-for-non-us-citizensChecked August 25, 2026
- 12
“The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) verifies immigration documents electronically using the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program.”
pa.gov/…/pub%20195nc.pdfChecked August 25, 2026
- 13
“You can send the form by mail or visit a local Driver License Center.”
pa.gov/services/dmv/get-a-photo-idChecked August 25, 2026
- 14
“REAL ID Centers are the fastest way to get your REAL ID.”
pa.gov/…/real-id-center-locationsChecked August 25, 2026
- 15
“A completed application.”
pa.gov/services/dmv/get-a-photo-idChecked August 25, 2026
Applying for a state ID card in Pennsylvania?
Answer a few questions and see the steps that apply to you.