Valid Forms of Photographic Identification

List of Photographic Identification

Starting January 1, 2012, Kansas voters must show photographic identification when casting a vote in person. If the photo ID has an expiration date on it, the ID must not have expired at the time of voting. An acceptable photo ID does not have to have an expiration date on the document in order to be valid. Persons age 65 or older may use expired photo ID documents. Acceptable forms of photo ID are:

  • A driver's license or nondriver's identification card issued by Kansas or by another state or district of the United States
  • A concealed carry of handgun license issued by Kansas or a concealed carry of handgun or weapon license issued by another state or district of the United States
  • A United States passport
  • An employee badge or identification document issued by a municipal, county, state, or federal government office
  • A military identification document issued by the United States
  • A student identification card issued by an accredited postsecondary institution of education in the state of Kansas
  • A public assistance identification card issued by a municipal, county, state or federal government office
  • An identification card issued by an Indian tribe


FAQs about Photo ID

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Exemptions from the Photographic Identification Requirement

Persons age 65 or older may use expired photo ID documents.

The photo ID requirements do not apply to military and overseas citizens who vote under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).

The photo ID requirements do not apply in mail ballot elections. Mail ballot elections are limited to local jurisdictions holding special question-submitted elections.

The photo ID requirements do not apply to voters who qualify, apply and are accepted to the permanent advance voting list, as long as they remain on the permanent advance voting list.

Any person whose religious beliefs prohibit photographic identification may be exempted from the photo ID requirement. Any such person must complete and sign a Form DRO (Español) (Declaration of Religious Objection).

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Advance Voters Identification Requirements

A person voting in person in the county election office or at a satellite site is treated the same as a regular voter at the polling place on election day.

A person voting by mail may write his or her driver's license number on the application form or submit a copy of valid identification with the ballot application.

If an advance voter fails to provide identification information, or if the information provided is not valid, the county election officer may issue a provisional ballot, but the ballot is not considered valid unless the voter submits identification sometime before the county canvass. By law counties may canvass on the Monday following the election or on the following Thursday (the 2nd Thursday following the election). Voters should check with their county election office to determine the canvass date.

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Free Photographic Identification

A registered voter who does not possess any of the approved government-issued photographic identification documents and who wishes to vote may apply for a free nondriver identification card through the Division of Vehicles, Kansas Department of Revenue.

In order to obtain a nondriver identification card, a person must present acceptable proof of identity and proof of residence to the Division of Vehicles.

In order to obtain a fee waiver for a nondriver identification card, the person must also sign a form containing an affidavit stating, among other things, that he or she:

  1. is registered to vote in Kansas, and
  2. does not possess a photographic identification document that is valid for voting purposes, and
  3. has provided evidence of current Kansas voting registration status. Examples of such evidence of registration status include a voter registration card (original or photocopy) or a printout from Kansas VoterView.

The Form DE-VID1 (Español), entitled Certification Requesting Fee Waiver for Nondriver Identification Card, is provided by the Division of Vehicles at all driver's license offices, at all county election offices and on the Secretary of State's website.

Free Kansas Birth Certificate in Order to Obtain Free Photographic Identification

In order to obtain a nondriver identification card, a person must present acceptable proof of identity and proof of residence to the Division of Vehicles, Kansas Department of Revenue. Qualifying individuals who lack proof of identity and desire to obtain a free nondriver identification card may obtain a Kansas birth certificate from the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics at no cost to the individual.

To qualify, such person must:

  1. not possess any valid photographic identification documents under Kansas law,
  2. lack any of the documents necessary to prove identity,
  3. sign an affidavit attesting to items 1 and 2,
  4. be registered to vote in Kansas, and
  5. have been born in Kansas.

To obtain a free birth certificate in order to obtain a free nondriver identification card, all three of the following forms must be submitted to the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics by a qualifying individual:

  1. Form VS-235 10/09 (Application for Certified Copy of Kansas Birth Certificate),
  2. Form BCA (Español) (Affidavit of Person Requesting Free Certified Copy of Birth Certificate), and
  3. Form DE-VID1 (Certification Requesting Fee Waiver for Nondriver Identification Card).

Please note that if a person is trying to obtain a free Kansas birth certificate under this program for the purpose of obtaining a free nondriver identification card:

  • A free driver's license will not be issued under this program, only a nondriver identification card will be issued.
  • A Kansas driver's license and a Kansas nondriver identification card cannot be held simultaneously by the same individual.
  • Only one birth certificate per person may be issued under this program. The recipient should keep it in a safe place for future needs.
  • The forms submitted under this program can be shared with other agencies.
  • Individuals not born in Kansas may find how to obtain a birth certificate in their state or territory at the National Center for Health Statistics website.

State Voter Identification Document

Individuals who do not have proof of identity and do not wish to pay for such a document may apply for a State Voter Identification Document at no cost. (NOTE: This identification document is valid only for the purpose of voting in Kansas and may not be used for any other purpose.)

To qualify, such person must either:

  • have been born outside of the state of Kansas, or
  • have been born in the state of Kansas, applied to the Kansas Office of Vital Statistics for a certified copy of such person's birth certificate, received from the agency a "No Certificate Found" letter, and provided to the Secretary of State's office a copy of such letter with the application.

A person qualified by either circumstance must also:

  1. not possess any valid photographic identification documents under Kansas law,
  2. lack any of the documents necessary to prove identity,
  3. sign an affidavit attesting to items 1 and 2, and
  4. be registered to vote in Kansas.

Qualified individuals should contact the election division of the Secretary of State's office at election@sos.ks.gov or (800) 262-VOTE to apply.

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