Photo ID Required to Vote
About Virginia Voter Photo Identification
Virginia law requires all voters to provide an acceptable form of photo identification (photo ID) when voting in person at their polling place.
There are many different types of photo IDs that voters can use when they vote. All of the acceptable forms of photo ID can be used up to a year after ID has expired. These photo IDs include:
About Virginia Voter Photo Identification
Virginia law requires all voters to provide an acceptable form of photo identification (photo ID) when voting in person at their polling place.
There are many different types of photo IDs that voters can use when they vote. All of the acceptable forms of photo ID can be used up to a year after ID has expired. These photo IDs include:
- Valid Virginia Driver’s License or Identification Card
- Valid Virginia DMV issued Veteran’s ID card
- Valid United States Passport
- Other government-issued photo identification cards (must be issued by US Government, the Commonwealth of Virginia, or a political subdivision of the Commonwealth)
- Tribal enrollment or other tribal ID issued by one of 11 tribes recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia
- Valid college or university student photo identification card (must be from an institution of higher education located in Virginia)
- Valid student ID issued by a public school or private school in Virginia displaying a photo
- Employee identification card containing a photograph of the voter and issued by an employer of the voter in the ordinary course of the employer’s business
- For a more detailed list of acceptable IDs >>>
- Virginia Photo IDs Statistics >>>
If you don’t have one of these photo IDs, or you do but it’s expired, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
Simply go to your nearest Voter Registration Office and apply for a free Virginia Voter Photo ID Card.
You can apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card throughout the year from any local voter registration office, even on Election Day. Once you have completed the Virginia Voter Photo Identification Card Application (English | Español) in the presence of a designated Virginia Election Official, they will take your picture and have you sign a digital signature pad. Your Virginia Voter Photo ID Card will be printed and mailed to your address on file in the Voter Registration System.
In special circumstances, a designated Virginia Election Official will print a Temporary Identification Document which you may use while awaiting your Virginia Voter Photo ID Card to arrive in the mail, which usually takes approximately two to four weeks. Voters who receive a Temporary Identification Document prior to an upcoming election may use their Temporary Identification Document to cast a regular ballot on Election Day or when voting in-person absentee prior to the election.
Voters who register to vote for the first time may simultaneously apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card when they submit their voter registration application.
For more information on acceptable IDs, how to obtain a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card, or any other questions, contact or visit your nearest Virginia Voter Registration Office (Click Here for a complete list) or contact the Virginia Department of Elections at (800) 552-9745 or email [email protected].
Provisional Ballot Process for Voters Who Arrive Without Identification on Election Day
If you arrive at your polling place without an acceptable form of photo ID, you will be given the opportunity to vote a provisional ballot. After completing the provisional ballot, you will be given written instructions from your precinct election officials on how to submit a copy of your photo ID so your vote can be counted.
A voter who cast a provisional ballot will have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of their photo ID to the voter registration office in which the ballot was cast. Voters may submit a copy of their ID via fax, email, in-person submission, or through USPS or commercial delivery service. Please note that the copy of the photo ID must be delivered to the electoral board by noon on Friday, or the provisional ballot cannot be counted. A Friday postmark will not be sufficient if the copy of the photo ID is not delivered to the electoral board by noon on Friday.
Note: Temporary Identification Documents are provided to Voter Photo ID applicants when an election is less than 21 days away. Voters wishing to receive a Temporary Identification Document must complete the entire application process. Voters who cast a provisional ballot may apply for a Temporary Identification Document up until 12:00 noon on the Friday following the election and from the registration office in which the provisional ballot was cast.