Getting a Kansas Nondriver Identification Card

Kansas nondriver identification cards: Choose identification that fits your situation

Kansas issues nondriver identification cards through the Division of Vehicles. An ID card can document identity without granting permission to drive, making it a distinct choice for a child, a resident who does not drive, or someone transitioning away from driving. The state credential FAQ says there is no minimum age for obtaining an identification card. A young applicant still needs the required evidence and the appropriate adult participation.

Under the Kansas identification-card statute, a resident generally cannot hold both a current valid Kansas driver license and a Kansas nondriver ID. The law includes a specific exception connected with physical surrender under the administrative alcohol-test process, so a person in that situation should ask staff about the actual record. Do not apply for an ID merely to create a second ordinary Kansas credential while retaining an unrestricted license.

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Kansas nondriver identification cards: Build a first-time document packet

Use the first-time ID section of the appointment document instructions and the portable DE-56A checklist. The usual packet establishes lawful presence, identity, Social Security information as applicable, and two proofs of Kansas residential address. If your present legal name differs from the name on the foundational document, include the legal evidence explaining the change.

The Kansas identity list provides the accepted categories and their conditions. A state-issued vital-record birth certificate is different from a hospital birth souvenir. An unexpired U.S. passport, qualifying citizenship record, permanent resident card, or other approved immigration evidence may serve the relevant purpose. Bring originals or certified records as required; an image saved on a phone does not substitute for the document at an ordinary office application.

For Kansas birth records, the Office of Vital Statistics birth-certificate page explains ordering methods and charges. Other Kansas vital records are handled through the Office of Vital Statistics. Plan enough lead time to obtain the correct record and examine it for name or date discrepancies before the ID appointment. A paid order confirmation is evidence that a record was requested, not the record itself.

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Kansas nondriver identification cards: Prove the residence of the actual applicant

Residence documents should identify the applicant and the physical Kansas home, not just a separate mailing address. The state gives examples including a lease, utility statement, qualifying mail, and certain financial or vehicle documents. Read the requirements for the specific document chosen; the general proof page, for example, imposes a recency condition on utility evidence. Avoid collecting two unrelated household bills that name someone other than the applicant.

Families applying for a minor should review the parent or guardian procedure in the state document guidance. Kansas law requires a parent or guardian to sign an ID application for someone under 16. Arrange that person's attendance and identification in advance, along with the child's records. If guardianship or residence is complicated, contact the office with the actual circumstances rather than assuming a relative's presence resolves the documentation requirement.

A noncitizen applicant needs qualifying lawful-presence documents, and the Kansas SAVE request form explains the verification process when review is needed. The related driver-credential law and ID statute distinguish applicants without a Social Security number from applicants who have one but lack their card. Provide truthful information about the number and immigration category so the office can apply the appropriate document rule.

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Kansas nondriver identification cards: Decide whether to request REAL ID

A nondriver ID can be REAL ID compliant when the applicant meets the documentation requirements. The Kansas REAL ID page describes the gold-star indicator and the separate noncompliant option. Federal identification needs should therefore be considered before the appointment, particularly if the card will be used for domestic air travel by an adult or for entry to a facility that requires compliant identification.

REAL ID is a credential standard, not permission to drive. A gold star on a nondriver ID does not authorize operation of a vehicle, and a standard ID remains a state identification card even though it does not meet that federal-use requirement. If a passport already meets your intended travel need, consider that separately from the choice of Kansas credential. Make the desired card type clear when staff begin the application.

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Kansas nondriver identification cards: Understand ordinary fees and the voter waiver

The Kansas credential fee chart lists an ordinary ID issuance or renewal total of $22 and a reduced total of $18 for the qualifying disability or age-65-and-older category. Those totals include the photo fee. Ask what evidence is needed if requesting a reduced fee based on disability, rather than assuming a general statement about health automatically qualifies the application.

A separate program provides a fee waiver for eligible residents who need an ID to vote. The Secretary of State's photo-ID guidance explains the program, and Form DE-VID1 requires the applicant's certification and evidence of Kansas voter registration. The form applies to someone age 17 or older who meets its conditions, including lacking the acceptable photo identification described by the program. A fee waiver does not waive identity, residence, or lawful-presence requirements.

Qualifying Kansas-born applicants who lack the required identity evidence may also use the voter-ID birth-certificate program. That process requires its own forms and supporting records, and the resulting certificate is limited to the stated voting purpose. It does not provide a free driver license. Read the eligibility list carefully before relying on the program to pay for a birth record needed for another transaction.

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Kansas nondriver identification cards: Complete issuance and plan delivery

Use the licensing-office directory to find a suitable location, then follow the appointment process for priority service. Expect the required photograph and application review. Check the spelling of the name, date of birth, and address while the transaction is being prepared. Tell staff about any intended veteran or other authorized indicator before the card order is finalized, with the documentation required for that feature.

The state warns that credentials may take up to 45 days to arrive and are not forwarded by the post office. Choose a mailing address where delivery is workable and make sure the residence record is also accurate. Keep the receipt and any temporary document together. If delivery fails, use the state's missing-credential procedure rather than assuming the office can retrieve a returned card for pickup.

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Kansas nondriver identification cards: Maintain the ID without confusing renewal and replacement

The ID expiration law generally uses a six-year term, with exceptions for applicable temporary or special cards. It also says an application received more than 90 days after expiration is treated as an original application. This differs from driver-license renewal rules, so do not apply a friend's driving-license timetable to your nondriver ID. Follow the expiration printed on the card and the instructions for its category.

Eligible ID holders can explore renewal through iKan, and the state's service overview describes that option. The ID statute does not permit consecutive online renewals. If a card is lost instead, the state generally requires two identity proofs and one residence proof for replacement, with a published $12 ID replacement total. Name changes need their legal documentation, while an address change should be handled through the service that produces the record or card update actually needed.

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Kansas nondriver identification cards: Common questions

Is there an age minimum for a Kansas nondriver ID?
The Kansas licensing FAQ states that an identification card may be obtained at any age, subject to the applicable application requirements.

Can a Kansas resident normally keep both a valid driver license and a nondriver ID?
Kansas generally requires choosing one current credential, with a specific statutory exception related to physical surrender in the administrative alcohol-test process.

What is the ordinary Kansas ID card fee including the photograph?
The published ordinary total is $22, with an $18 total for the qualifying older-age or disability category.

Does the Kansas voter-ID fee waiver remove document requirements?
Applicants must still satisfy the state’s identity, residence, and lawful-presence requirements even when the fee waiver is approved.

Can a Kansas nondriver ID carry the REAL ID gold star?
A nondriver ID can be compliant when the applicant provides the required evidence, but the star does not grant driving privileges.

What if a Kansas ID renewal application is more than 90 days late?
The ID expiration statute treats an application received more than 90 days after expiration as an application for an original identification card.

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More Kansas DMV guides

The other Kansas DMV guides, 52 of them:

The public records that sit beside this page, on SearchSystems: the Kansas birth certificate guide and the Kansas vital records guide.