Arkansas Identification Card: Requirements, Documents, and Fees

To get an Arkansas state ID card, visit any Arkansas Revenue Office in person, bring documents proving your identity and Social Security number, and pay a $5.00 fee.¹ The card is issued by the Office of Driver Services to any Arkansas resident age five or older who doesn’t hold a valid driver’s license from any state, and it serves as photo ID for banking, voting, government services, and (in the REAL ID version) domestic flights.

Who Can Get One and How Long It Lasts

Two conditions: you live in Arkansas, and you don’t have a valid driver’s license from any state. That’s it. The $5.00 fee is flat across first-time cards, renewals, and duplicates.¹

Validity depends on your age at issue:

Ages 5 to 13: valid two years. A parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or sibling over 18 must come along and sign.
Ages 14 to 59: valid four years, then renewable.
Age 60 and older: valid for life. A REAL ID version, however, must carry an expiration date under federal rules, so it will not be lifetime.¹

Standard Card or REAL ID

Decide this before you go, because it changes what you pack. Since May 7, 2025, TSA and other federal agencies require a REAL ID-compliant card or another federally accepted document (such as a U.S. passport) to board domestic flights and enter certain federal buildings.² Without one you can be turned away at the airport checkpoint.

A REAL ID card carries a gold star in the upper corner. A standard card is marked “NOT FOR FEDERAL ID.” Both cost $5.00. The only practical difference at the counter is that the REAL ID version requires two documents proving your Arkansas address on top of the identity and Social Security documents everyone brings.³ If you might fly domestically and don’t carry a passport, get the REAL ID.

Documents to Bring

Gather everything before your visit. A missing document means a wasted trip.

Proof of Legal Presence and Identity (One Document)

Common options for U.S. citizens:

Certified U.S. birth certificate
U.S. passport or passport card
Certificate of Naturalization (N-550 or N-570)
Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561)
Certificate of Birth Abroad (FS-240 or FS-545)

Non-citizens can use a valid Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), a foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and I-94, a valid Employment Authorization Document (I-766), or another qualifying DHS immigration document.⁴

Proof of Social Security Number (One Document)

The Social Security card itself is simplest. If you can’t find it, a W-2, a 1099, or a recent pay stub showing your full Social Security number along with your employer’s name and address will work. Veterans can also use a DD-214.⁴

Proof of Arkansas Residency (Two Documents, REAL ID Only)

Each must show your current physical address and be dated within the last six months unless otherwise noted:

Utility bill (gas, water, or electric)
Current lease, rental agreement, or mortgage statement
Bank statement
Telephone, cable, or internet bill
Current health, auto, or homeowners insurance document
State or federal tax return less than one year old
Voter registration card less than four years old

If you’re experiencing homelessness, a shelter agreement counts.⁴ A letter on formal letterhead from a bank manager, doctor, accountant, attorney, or employer confirming they’ve known you at least three years and verifying your address is also acceptable.

Where and How to Apply

You have to appear in person. Arkansas operates 134 Revenue Offices statewide, and all of them handle ID card services.⁵ Walk-ins are accepted, but booking online through mydmv.arkansas.gov saves waiting.⁶

At the office, staff verify your documents, take your photo, and have you complete the application. You pay the $5.00 before leaving. Credit cards are accepted, though a 1.6% processing fee applies.⁷ You leave with a temporary paper document, and the permanent card is mailed to your address in about 3 to 5 business days.⁸

Renewing or Replacing Your Card

Renewals happen in person at any Revenue Office. If none of your information has changed, bring your expiring card and $5.00.¹ To upgrade from a standard card to REAL ID at renewal, bring the two residency documents.

Lost, stolen, or damaged cards can be replaced online at mydmv.arkansas.gov without visiting an office. The replacement arrives in 3 to 5 business days.⁸

Special Situations

Name Changes

If your name changed through marriage, divorce, or a court order, update the card in person and bring the original or certified copy of the authorizing document: marriage certificate, certified divorce decree showing the name restoration, or court order.⁹ Update your Social Security card first, because the name on your ID must match Social Security records.

Gender Marker

Arkansas will change the gender designation on your ID only with an amended birth certificate from the Arkansas Department of Health or another state’s vital records office, submitted with a form from the Office of Driver Services. Cards display “M” or “F” only; Arkansas does not issue cards with an “X” designation or without a gender marker.¹⁰

Veteran Designation

Veterans can add a veteran designation by presenting a military discharge document showing honorable or general-under-honorable-conditions service. A DD Form 214 is most common, but NGB Form 22, a VA-issued Veteran Identification Card, and several other DoD discharge forms also qualify.¹¹

Active-Duty Military Stationed Out of State

If you apply for an extension through the Office of Driver Services, your card remains valid until 60 days after separation or honorable discharge from active duty. This applies to any branch, including National Guard and reserves. Call the Office of Driver Services at (501) 682-7059 for the extension process.¹²

Voting-Only Alternative

If you need photo ID strictly for voting and can’t obtain a state ID card, your county clerk issues a free voter verification card. You’ll sign an affidavit stating you don’t possess qualifying photo identification and provide documents showing your full legal name, date of birth, and residential address.¹³ The card is valid only for voting and won’t work for travel, banking, or other purposes.

1
Justia. Arkansas Code 27-16-805 – Identification Purposes Only
2
Transportation Security Administration. TSA Publishes Final Rule on REAL ID Enforcement Beginning May 7, 2025
3
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Do You Have What You Need?
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DFA.Arkansas.gov. Proof of Legal Presence for US Citizen Social Security Number
5
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Arkansas Real ID
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Eliminate Waiting, Book a Revenue Office Appointment
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. DFA Reduces Credit Card Fees for Revenue Office Transactions
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Online Services
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Justia. Arkansas Code 27-16-506 – Notice of Change
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Department of Finance and Administration – Office of Driver Services. Rules for Gender Information Required to Be Displayed on an Arkansas Driver’s License or State Identification Card
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Justia. Arkansas Code 27-16-812 – Veteran Designation
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Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. Military and Veterans
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Arkansas Secretary of State. Frequently Asked Questions