How to Apply for a New Identification Card in Colorado

1.

An ID card is an official form of identification provided by your state’s licensing agency. ID cards look like state drivers licenses, but they only serve as a type of photo ID and do not provide the cardholder with driving privileges. To obtain a state ID card, you must apply in person at your local DMV office. Some states offer online ID card preapproval, and some offer a mail-in option for disabled citizens. However, most applicants will be required to apply for an ID card in person. To prepare your ID card application, you will need to have a completed ID card application, proof of identity, proof of citizenship or lawful presence, proof of state residency and more. Remembering which documents you need to take to the DMV when you apply can be difficult, and forgetting any piece of information can result in you missing an appointment. To avoid these complications, you can download our helpful guide, which explains all the steps you need to take to apply for a new ID card and all the documents you need to have on hand.

2. By Mail

Under certain circumstances, disabled residents who are unable to go to a DMV office may be able to request a state ID card by mail. However, this option is not available in all states, so applicants are encouraged to contact their state DMV for more information. If an applicant qualifies for the mail-in option, he or she will need to fill out an ID card application and a specific mail-in request form. Applicants will also be required to send in proof of citizenship, identity, state residency and all other documents required by the state.

3. In Person at a DMV Office

Most residents will be required to submit their ID card application in person at a local DMV office. Applicants are encouraged to make an appointment at the DMV to avoid long wait times and expedite the application process. All applicants will need to complete an ID card application form and provide all the necessary documents that prove their identity and legal residency. These documents include an applicant’s Social Security Number, tax forms, birth certificate and more. If any of these documents are missing, an applicant may be asked to return another day even if he or she has an appointment. Once an application is filed, applicants will receive a temporary ID until they receive their credential in the mail.

A non-driver Colorado state ID is a form of verified, government-issued personal identification. It serves all of the same non-vehicle-related purposes as a standard drivers license. In fact, the credential shares a format with state drivers licenses, being of a similar size and design. Unlike licenses, however, the Colorado identification card is available to residents of all ages, including those who cannot – or do not – drive. Parents may even apply for an ID card on behalf of their infants or children.

Non-driver ID applications, issuance, renewals and replacements are all handled through the DMV. Applicants must generally provide documentation of identity, residency and other qualifications on par with what they would need in order to apply for a license. Exact requirements and processes vary by age and transaction, however. IDs are also governed by the same laws restricting who may or may not be issued certain types of licenses or ID in Colorado, based on citizenship status.

Colorado DMV ID Requirements

Colorado DMV state ID requirements mandate that applicants prove their identities, including date of birth and state residency. Applicants must also supply valid Social Security Numbers or evidence of ineligibility for an SSN. Finally, they must prove that they are citizens of the United States, or are otherwise legally present in the country.

ID card requirements do not place any restrictions on applicant age. State law does dictate, however, that residents cannot hold more than one form of state-issued ID. Therefore, to receive ID cards, applicants must surrender any other identification cards or licenses they hold from Colorado – or any other states. Likewise, should ID holders decide to apply for drivers licenses, they will be required to turn in their IDs at the time of application.

What do you need to get an ID in Colorado?

Applicants must supply documentation proving identity, date of birth, Social Security Number and current in-state address. Many documents, however, can serve as proof of more than one of those criteria, limiting the total number of documents needed.

Applicants can choose from a wide range of options when selecting the documents needed for state ID requests. For instance:

  • Proof of name, identity and date of birth can be established using certified birth certificates, passports, licenses or IDs issued by other states, military ID cards, adoption records or naturalization or citizenship documents. Applicants seeking the ID card for minors under 21 years of age may also submit Affidavits of Identity signed by the minors’ parents or guardians.
  • Social Security Numbers can be proven using Social Security cards, W-2 forms, SSA-1099 forms, Non-SSA-1099 forms or paystubs showing applicants names and complete SSNs.
  • Proof of citizenship is often evidence provided by the same documents applicants use to verify their identities. INS and verified Refugee or Asylee I-94 forms are also accepted.
  • Proof of Colorado Residency must be demonstrated, when applying for state ID cards, using two separate, non-handwritten documents showing applicants’ names and current addresses, such as:
    • Colorado drivers licenses, permits or ID cards.
    • Utility bills.
    • Credit card statements.
    • Bank statements.
    • Mortgage documents.
    • Insurance policies.
    • Tax records.
    • Paystubs.
    • Vehicle registrations or car titles.
    • Rent receipts.
    • Phone bills.
    • First Class Mail with postmarks.

Colorado law allows residents who cannot demonstrate legal presence in the U.S., or who are only temporarily legally in the country, to apply for limited or restricted DMV ID cards. Applicants who cannot demonstrate legal presence must supply the following:

  • Proof of name, date of birth and identity via the below:
    • A foreign passport from applicant’s country of origin
    • A consular identification card with photo
    • A military identification document with photo
  • Proof of Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) via an ITIN Official letter or card from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Applicants who are temporarily legally in the country can apply for a Colorado government issued ID cards, as well. To do so successfully, they must supply:

  • An unexpired foreign passport with a photo,
  • An unexpired U.S. visa,
  • An unexpired, SAVE-verified I-94, an unexpired, SAVE-verified EAD/Temporary Resident or an unexpired, SAVE-verified Refugee/Asylee I-94 w with photo.

How to Get an ID in Colorado

Although many residents’ first hope is to get ID online, all new Colorado identification cards must be applied for in person, at a DMV office. Applicants are not required to schedule appointments, but may do so to reduce potential wait times, if preferred. Appointments for all but three DMV offices can be made online. Alternatively, applicants may call 303-205-5600 to schedule by phone.

CO state ID card applicants under 18 years of age must be accompanied by their parents or guardians when applying. Accompanying parents or guardians must have legal evidence of their relationships (such as the minors’ birth certificates) and proof of their own identities, such as a valid drivers license or non-driver ID card.

To apply for ID, residents simply take their documents to a DMV office for processing. They will then have their photographs taken, surrender any other conflicting IDs they hold and pay the application fee. New ID cards will then be sent to successful applicants by mail in between 10 and 30 days.

REAL ID Cards in Colorado

All Colorado identification cards meet federal REAL ID card standards. This means that:

  • Applicants’ identities are verified at a federally mandated level of detail and thoroughness during the application process.
  • Adult and child ID cards contain federally designated security features.
  • All state ID cards can be used as self-contained proof of identity for the purposes of entering federal buildings and boarding domestic flights, even after enhanced restrictions go into effect in October 2020.

How to Renew or Replace a State ID in Colorado

Applicants cannot simply replace lost ID card credentials in Colorado. Instead, they must reapply and be issued new cards with revised expiration dates that invalidate all former cards. Residents must follow this process to obtain replacement ID cards if their originals become damage, lost or defaced.

Renewing ID cards is notably easier. Residents may renew their cards easily any time before they expire. To do so:

  • Cardholders younger than 21 years of age must go to a DMV office to renew their cards.
  • Cardholders turning 21 years of age must go to a DMV office on or after their 21st birthdays to renew them.
  • Cardholders older than 21 years of age may be eligible to renew online or by mail, as many as two successive times before needing to visit a DMV office.

DMV identification card holders who have changed their names or have otherwise altered the information reflected on their cards are generally ineligible to renew by any method other than a DMV visit.

DMV ID Costs in Colorado

Residents may pay the DMV ID cost with cash, checks or credit cards. Costs vary with age and other factors, and include the below figures:

  • New ID card for applicants younger than 60 years of age: $11.50
  • New ID card for applicants 60 years of age or older: Free
  • ID cards for residents unable to prove legal presence in the U.S.: $13
  • ID cards being reissued to residents after cancelation or denial under state legislation CRS 42-2-302(IV)(3): $20

Colorado Identification Card Forms

Note: DMV forms change regularly. The forms provided above are current based on the date of writing.

Last updated on Tuesday, March 5 2019.

Sources

  1. Identification Card from Colorado.gov
  2. DMV Fees from Colorado.gov
  3. Renewals from Colorado.gov

Have a Question? Get Quick Online Answers!