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State identification for transgender youth

If you can not get a driver’s license, you might be able to get an identification (ID) card from the state where you live.

In many US states, the place that issues driver’s licenses will issue an ID card to a person of any age.

Many states make you get a kind of card called a REAL ID card. You will probably need a passport to get a REAL ID from your state.

Because some things like renting a post office box need two pieces of ID, a US passport and a state-issued ID card are both good to have.

If you can get a driver’s license, you do not need a state ID.

The name on your state ID will probably need to match your legal name. That is the name on your birth certificate. If you want to have a state or federal ID with your chosen name, you may need to get a legal name change first.

Resources

National Center for Transgender Equality (transequality.org)

  • Identification Documents and Transgender People (PDF)