Connecticut ID After 21: Vertical License, Mail-In, and Fees

When you turn 21 in Connecticut, your vertical driver’s license or ID card doesn’t automatically expire or become invalid, but you can pay $5 to have the “Under 21” designation removed and get a standard horizontal card by mail. The swap is optional under state law. In practice, though, bars, liquor stores, and dispensaries often reject vertical IDs on sight, so most people find the small fee worth it.

Your Vertical License Is Still Legally Valid

Nothing about your credential expires the day you turn 21. A vertical Connecticut license or ID remains valid for driving and identification until the expiration date printed on the card. The DMV frames the under-21 removal as something you “can request,” not something you must do.¹

The catch is that private businesses set their own rules. Bouncers, cashiers, and budtenders are trained at many establishments to refuse vertical IDs as a shortcut for age verification, and they aren’t breaking any law when they do. If you regularly buy alcohol, cannabis, or tickets to 21-plus venues, the upgrade pays for itself quickly.

The $5 Mail-In Form

Connecticut has a form built specifically for this transaction: Form CI-3, the Application for Under 21 Statement Removal. You fill it out, include a $5 check or money order payable to DMV, and mail it to the Centralized Issuance Operations Unit in Wethersfield.² The $5 amount is set by statute for a credential reissued after reaching 21.³

A few limits to know before you choose this route:

The CI-3 only removes the under-21 statement. You cannot change your name, address, or photo through this form.
No DMV appointment is needed. Everything happens by mail.
Your new horizontal card is mailed to the address on file. Allow up to 20 business days for delivery.⁴

The form is a downloadable PDF on the DMV’s forms page.⁵ Print it, complete it, add the payment, and drop it in the mail.

When You Should Go In Person Instead

The mail-in form only works if the under-21 removal is all you need. Book an appointment at a branch office if any of these also apply:

Your license is close to its expiration date and you want to renew at the same time.
You need to update your name, address, or photo.
You want to upgrade to a REAL ID-compliant credential.

Federal REAL ID enforcement took effect on May 7, 2025. Without a REAL ID (marked by a gold star in the upper corner) or another accepted document such as a passport, you cannot board a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities.⁶ If your current license isn’t compliant, turning 21 is a natural moment to handle both changes in one visit.

At the branch, you’ll get a new photo and surrender your vertical card. The DMV hands you a temporary paper credential on the spot, and the permanent horizontal card arrives by mail within 20 business days.⁴ Carry the temporary document until your real card shows up.

What to Bring for an In-Person Visit

If you’re mailing Form CI-3, no supporting documents are needed. Branch visits are a different story.

Standard Renewal

Bring Form R-229, the Application for a Non-Commercial Learner Permit and/or Driver License, downloadable from the DMV site.⁷ You’ll need your current license number and standard identifying information.

REAL ID

REAL ID applications require more paperwork. Most applicants need:

Identity proof, such as a U.S. passport or U.S. birth certificate, plus your Social Security card.
Two residency documents from different sources, each dated within 90 days and showing your Connecticut address (for example, a bank statement and a utility bill).⁸
Proof of lawful presence. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents qualify for a full REAL ID; non-citizens may qualify for a limited-term version.⁹

All documents must be originals or certified copies. Review the DMV’s REAL ID checklist before your appointment so you don’t waste a trip.

What It Costs

The fee depends on what you’re actually doing at the DMV.

Under-21 Removal Only

$5, by statute, whether you mail Form CI-3 or handle it at a branch.³

Branch offices take credit cards, debit cards, and personal checks. The CI-3 mail-in form accepts only checks or money orders. Some branch locations may add a convenience fee of up to $8.¹¹

1
CT.gov. Update a Driver’s License, Learner’s Permit, or Non-Driver ID
2
Connecticut DMV. Application for Under 21 Statement Removal (CI-3)
3
Justia. Connecticut Code 14-50a – Fees
4
CT.gov. Central Issuance for ID Fraud Protection
5
Connecticut DMV. Department of Motor Vehicle Forms
6
TSA. REAL ID
7
Connecticut DMV. Application for a Non-Commercial Learner Permit and/or Driver License (R-229)
8
Connecticut DMV. Get a REAL ID
9
Connecticut DMV. REAL ID Document Identity Verification Checklist
10
CT.gov. Replace a Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Driver’s License
11
Justia. Connecticut Code 14-41 – Expiration and Renewal of Operators’ Licenses and Identity Cards
12
CT.gov. Renew Your Non-Driver ID