Colorado Identification Card Requirements: Fees, Documents, and REAL ID

A Colorado ID card is issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles for residents who need government identification but don’t drive. A REAL ID-compliant card costs $13.00 if you’re under 60, and it’s free for residents 60 and older. First-time applicants have to book an appointment and appear in person at a DMV office with original identity and address documents.

What It Costs

REAL ID card, under 60: $13.00
Standard (non-REAL ID) card: $13.30
Any ID card, 60 and older: free

The waiver for residents 60 and older covers both the initial card and replacements.¹

Documents You Need to Bring

Colorado accepts identity documents on two tracks. You can bring one standalone document, or you can pair one document from List A with one from List B.

Standalone documents include an unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, an unexpired permanent resident card, a Colorado license or ID that expired less than ten years ago, or an enhanced out-of-state license from Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Washington, or Vermont.² If you don’t have one of those, pair a certified U.S. birth certificate (List A) with a secondary ID like an out-of-state license, expired U.S. passport, or military ID (List B).

Every document must be an original or a certified copy with an official government seal. Photocopies, phone photos, and laminated originals are rejected. Hospital-issued birth certificates and California abstract birth certificates don’t qualify either.²

You also need two separate proofs of a Colorado address, each dated within the past year and showing your full name and physical address. No P.O. boxes. Bank statements, utility bills, a lease or rental contract, vehicle registration, insurance policies, government mail, and school transcripts all work. Electronic versions on your phone are accepted for address documents.³

Finally, you need to provide your Social Security number. You can state it verbally at your appointment; no card required. If you’d rather bring paper, a Social Security card, W-2, pay stub, or 1099 works.²

Applicants experiencing homelessness who lack a residential address can substitute a letter on official letterhead from a government agency or nonprofit stating that the organization will accept mail on the applicant’s behalf. The letter has to include the facility’s name, address, phone number, a representative’s signature, and the date.³

REAL ID or Standard Card

Since May 7, 2025, a non-REAL ID card is no longer accepted at airport TSA checkpoints or federal facilities.⁴ Starting February 1, 2026, TSA will offer a $45 ConfirmID service that attempts to verify identity for travelers who arrive with only a standard card; if it can’t verify you, you don’t fly.

A REAL ID-compliant Colorado card carries a star on the front, black on cards issued since 2020 and gold on older ones. A standard card instead has a black banner reading “Not Valid For Federal Identification, Voting or Public Benefit Purposes.”⁵ Standard cards are issued under the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act (SB 251) and exist primarily for residents who cannot provide proof of lawful presence.⁶

For most applicants, the REAL ID is the practical choice. A standard card works fine for everyday in-state purposes if you have no need for federal access.

The Appointment and How Long the Card Takes

First-time applicants schedule an appointment and appear in person. You leave the office with a temporary credential. The permanent card arrives by mail, typically within 10 to 14 business days, though it can take up to 30 business days. If nothing has arrived after 30 days, you can check status online, email the Returned Credential Office, call 303-205-5600, or return to the issuing office.⁷

Applying as a Minor

Anyone under 21 is treated as a minor for ID purposes and must apply in person; online applications aren’t available. A legal guardian has to come along with their own valid Colorado driver license and proof of guardianship, such as the child’s birth certificate listing them as a parent.⁷ The minor still brings the same identity and address documents any other applicant would.

Non-Citizen Applicants

Non-citizens can apply, but the document list expands. You’ll need original immigration documents proving lawful presence: an unexpired permanent resident card (Form I-551), a foreign passport with an unexpired I-551 stamp, or a valid I-94 showing lawful admission.² Your card’s expiration date will match the duration of your authorized stay.

Residents who cannot show lawful presence can still get a standard card under SB 251. Non-citizens must visit a DMV office in person for both initial applications and renewals; online renewal is not available.⁶

Renewing and Replacing Your Card

Standard non-REAL ID credentials are valid for three years from issuance.⁶ REAL ID-compliant cards for adults carry a longer validity period. The expiration date on your card is the one that matters.

You can renew any time before that date, and the DMV recommends not waiting until it expires; once it lapses you lose valid identification until the process is complete. Online renewal is available if you’re 21 or older, subject to eligibility checks on the DMV’s portal (whether your Social Security number is on file, whether you need to update personal information, and other factors). If you renew online, your printed receipt paired with your old card works as a temporary credential until the new one arrives.⁷ Applicants under 21 cannot renew online.

Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged card works much like a first-time application: same documents, in-person visit, and the standard issuance fee for your card type. The waiver for residents 60 and older still applies.¹

The myColorado Digital ID

Colorado offers a digital version of your ID through the myColorado app, authorized as an official form of identification since October 2019. Within Colorado, it can prove your identity, age, and address, and for age-restricted purchases you can display only the information needed and hide your home address or full birthdate.⁸

The digital ID is only authorized for in-state use. TSA does not accept it, and individual businesses, agencies, and law enforcement may or may not. State law currently requires carrying a physical credential, so the app supplements your card rather than replacing it.

Updating Your Name, Gender Marker, or Veteran Status

Legal Name

To update the name on your Colorado ID, you need a court order first. File a verified petition in the district or county court where you live, stating your current name, the desired name, and your reason. Applicants over 14 must include results from a fingerprint-based criminal history check conducted within 90 days of filing.⁹ Once the order is granted, bring it to a DMV office with your other documents.

Sex Designation

Colorado offers three sex designations on ID cards: M, F, and X. To change yours, visit a DMV office in person with either a Colorado birth certificate reflecting the change or the DR 2083 Change of Sex Designation form. No surgery, medical treatment, or clinical documentation is required. Applicants under 18 need signatures from both a health care provider and a parent or legal guardian on the DR 2083. Colorado law allows only one designation change at your own request; further changes require a court order.¹⁰ There’s no separate fee for the change, but you pay the standard credential fee for the new card. Online and mail-in renewals can’t be used for this update.

Veteran Designation

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces can have “VETERAN” printed on their card. Bring either a valid military ID or a DD214 showing an honorable discharge to any DMV office.

Organ Donor Registration

When applying or renewing, you can register with Donate Life Colorado by saying yes at the counter. You can also register or change your decision anytime at DonateLifeColorado.org.¹¹

1
Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. State DMV Fees
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Required Identification Documents to Get Your Permit, Driver License, or Identification Card
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Proof of Address
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Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. REAL ID and Colorado
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Standard Licenses and IDs
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Identification Cards
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myColorado. Colorado Digital ID
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Justia. Colorado Revised Statutes Section 13-15-101 – Petition – Proceedings – Applicability
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Change Your Sex Identifier
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Department of Revenue – Motor Vehicle. Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation Information