A Connecticut state ID can be an excellent option for resident non-drivers. A DMV ID card is valid for use in all of the same ways and places that drivers licenses would be accepted, save for the operation of motor vehicles. Cardholders can use their IDs to prove age when purchasing alcohol or entering age-restricted venues, or to prove identity for any legal purpose.

While they offer the same benefits as licenses, non-driver IDs are less expensive and time-consuming to obtain and maintain. Applicants do not need to take or pass any tests during the application process, or wait between application process steps. IDs also do not expire as frequently as licenses. Many motorists exchange their licenses for identification card credentials when they cease driving. Note that residents may not hold licenses and IDs at the same time. This is true of cards and licenses issued by Connecticut and all other states.

Connecticut DMV ID Requirements

To apply for a Connecticut government issued ID, residents need to meet state requirements. This includes proving:

• Their identities.
• Their full legal names.
• Possession of valid Social Security Numbers.
• Connecticut residency.
• United States citizenship or other legal residency.

In addition to documenting the above, DMV state ID requirements mandate that applicants cannot hold any other state-issued forms of ID, including drivers licenses, whether issued by Connecticut or any other state. Applicants must surrender all conflicting IDs at the time of application.

What do you need to get an ID in Connecticut?

Residents will find that many of the documents needed for state ID in Connecticut can serve as proof of more than one of the key criteria. Applicants should pay careful attention to the documents they select, however, as only certified, sealed or otherwise officially marked, government-issued documents and notarized affidavits will be accepted. The numbers and types of documents required for state IDs are categorized below by criteria:

• Identity and full legal name. Applicants must provide at least two forms of identification in this category, at least one of which is considered a primary document.
  • Primary identity documents include:
    • Certified original birth certificates issued by an American state or territory
    • Valid, unexpired U.S. passports or passport cards.
    • Foreign passports with necessary accompany documents (e.g. visas).
    • Certificates of Naturalization or Citizenship.
    • Permanent Resident cards.
    • U.S. Consular Reports of Birth Abroad.
  • Secondary identity documents include, but are not limited to:
    • Drivers licenses, learners permits or ID cards from any American state, a U.S. territory or Canada.
    • U.S. Military ID or dependent photo ID.
    • Connecticut Concealed Carry permits.
    • Military discharge or separation papers (DD-214).
    • Court orders including adoption, marriage and divorce documents showing applicants’ full names and dates of birth.
    • Certified marriage or civil union certificates.
    • U.S. DOT Federal Aviation Administration pilot’s licenses.
    • Certified school transcripts (NOT school photo ID).
    • Social Security cards.
    • CT Department of Corrections certificates (CN101503).
• Social Security Number. DMV state ID applicants must provide one of the following, unless they are ineligible for an SSN, in which case they must provide a statement from the Social Security Administration to that effect:
  • Social Security card
  • W-2 form (younger than 5 years old)
  • 1099 form (younger than 5 years old)
• Connecticut Residency. Non-driver ID applicants must submit two pieces of mail of different types and sources showing their names and Connecticut addresses. In most cases, documents cannot be handwritten and must have been generated less than 90 days prior to application. Acceptable residency documents include:
  • Postmarked mail (address may be handwritten).
  • Bills, such as from a utility company or credit card provider.
  • Bank statements.
  • Paystubs.
  • Property or excise tax bills.
  • Medicaid or Medicare benefit statements.
  • Current and valid insurance policies or vehicle registrations.
  • Mortgage contracts, or signed lease or rental agreements.
  • Connecticut voter registration
  • Change-of-address confirmations from the United States Postal Service showing applicants’ former and current addresses (Form CNL107).
  • Official school enrollment records.
• Legal Presence in the U.S. For most DMV new ID applicants, U.S. birth certificates meet this requirement. Non-American-born applicants will need to provide one of the following, and the DMV will verify their statuses using Systematic Alien Verification of Eligibility (SAVE), which may lead to extended processing times:
  • A U.S. passport or passport card
  • An I-94
  • An I-551 Stamp in foreign passport
  • A Permanent Resident card or Resident Alien card
  • An Employment Authorization card
  • A refugee travel document
  • An Employment Authorization card and verified Adjustment of Status Application
  • An I-20 and I-94
  • A DS2019 and I-94

DMV identification card applicants using married names or other names that not match those on the documents they are submitting must also provide legal evidence of name change from one to the other. For example, a Connecticut resident using a married name, and presenting his or her birth certificate, would also need a certified marriage license or civil union certificate showing the name change, in order for the birth certificate to be accepted.

In the event that state ID card applicants have changed their names several times, they must have adequate documentation showing each legal name change linking their documents. For instance, an applicant might provide a birth certificate, a marriage certificate showing a change to a first married name, and then a divorce certificate and a second marriage certificate showing the change from the first married name to a second one.

There are several examples of acceptable name change documents. These include:

• Certified marriage or civil union certificates.
• Marriage or civil union dissolution or divorce certificates.
• Probate court-issued name change documents.
• The DHS Petition for Name Change (USCIS Form N-662).

Applicants’ names must be correctly on file with the Social Security Administration (SSA) before new DMV ID can be issued.

How to Get an ID in Connecticut

The DMV does not permit Connecticut residents to get ID online. Instead, when it comes to where to get a state ID, applicants must apply in person, at a DMV Hub Office, or the Enfield, New Britain, Norwich or Winsted offices. Applications cannot be accepted or processed at satellite offices, DMV photo license centers, AAA offices or any other sites at which other DMV transactions are generally available.

To apply for ID, residents must follow the required steps. These include:

1. Obtain an application form by requesting that one be mailed to them online or by phone, or by picking one up from a participating DMV center.
2. Schedule an appointment (optional).
3. Take the completed application forms and documents to a participating DMV center.
4. Cooperate with processing and pay the applicable state ID fee(s).
5. Surrender any conflicting ID.

Upon successful application, residents will be issued a temporary paper card. Official documents will be mailed to residents after the fact, and may take between 10 and 30 days to arrive.

REAL ID Cards in Connecticut

A Connecticut REAL ID card is referred to as a “verified” ID. Verified IDs are generally issued to all applicants, except those who, for whatever reason, cannot meet the eligibility criteria. In most cases, those applicants will be issued a “standard” ID, instead. Standard IDs do not meet federal REAL ID Act requirements.

The federal REAL ID Act established minimum security features to be incorporated into state REAL ID cards. It also set high limits on the minimums of identity verification documents required for REAL ID issuance.

As of October 2020, Americans will need REAL ID-compliant drivers licenses or ID cards to access federal buildings or board domestic flights, using only their IDs. Americans with standard IDs will be required to submit additional documents, such as certified birth certificates or passports, alongside their IDs, to use them for those and other restricted purposes.

How to Renew or Replace a State ID in Connecticut

Connecticut residents who have a lost ID card can obtain a replacement at any DMV office. Unlike originals, a replacement ID card can also be ordered at:

• AAA offices.
• Milford or North Haven Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union offices.
• Stamford (The Workplace, Inc.)
• West Haven City Hall.

Applicants will need to bring one form of acceptable identification from either the primary or secondary documents categories to prove their identities. They will then simply need to complete and submit an Application for Duplicate ID and pay the associated fees.

Note: Connecticut residents who are out of the state, in military service, incarcerated or medically unable to appear may qualify to order one DMV replacement ID by mail.

When renewing non-driver IDs, motorists must go to a participating site, in person. With them, they must be sure to bring:

• Their renewal notices.
• Their current ID cards.
• An acceptable form of payment.

DMV ID Costs in Connecticut

Connecticut DMV IDs cost $22.50, both new and to renew. Non-DMV service locations, such as AAA offices and authorized credit unions, may charge convenience fees of up to $8 per transaction.

Residents may be exempt from paying the DMV ID price under certain circumstances in Connecticut. These include:

• If they can provide documentation proving that they are residing in an authorized homeless shelter or transitional housing.
• Blind veterans with appropriate documentation.

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