Step-by-step guide

How to get an ID after prison

The short answer

Get three documents, in this order: your birth certificate, then your Social Security card, then a state ID. Each one helps you get the next. If you're still inside, ask your case manager to start now: federal prisons are required by law to help, and many state prisons do too.1

A replacement Social Security card is free. Federal rules only require a REAL ID to board a plane or enter some federal buildings, and states still issue standard IDs.10 17 18

Updated October 2026. Rules differ by state, so call your office before you go. Questions? We're here: call or text 888-860-RISE.

A man leaning over to help another man at a table, both smiling

Still inside? Start before your release date

Federal prisons must help people get a Social Security card, a driver's license or other photo ID, and a birth certificate before release, under the First Step Act. Ask your case manager at your first team meeting, not your last.1 2

Social Security has prerelease agreements with prisons in every region and a national agreement for federal prisons. Through them you can apply for a replacement card, and for benefits, before you walk out. Local offices can take a benefits claim up to 120 days before release at non-federal facilities.3 4

Many states run their own programs: California, New York, Ohio, Illinois and Texas all help people get an ID at or near release (examples below). Ask your facility's reentry office what yours offers.

Your steps, in order

1
Gather what you already have
Before you go anywhere, collect every paper with your name on it: release or parole papers, your prison ID, an old license (even expired), a Medicaid or health insurance card, school records, or a pay stub. Some offices accept these as supporting documents, and they make every next step easier.
Prison and parole papers alone don't count as ID at Social Security, but they can support another document.5
Bring
- Release or parole papers
- Prison or DOC ID card
- Any old or expired license or ID
- Medicaid, health insurance, school or work ID cards
- A folder to keep originals flat and dry
2
Order your birth certificate
Order it from the vital records office in the state where you were born, not the state you live in now. The federal government doesn't issue birth certificates.6 7
Most states ask for ID to order one. If you don't have any, most states have another way to verify you, such as a sworn statement of identity or a notarized letter from a parent named on the certificate with a copy of their photo ID.6
The price is set by each state: for example $29 in California, and $22 to $25 in Utah. The CDC's Where to Write page lists every state's office, price and rules.8 9 7
Tip:
Order two certified copies if you can afford it. You'll hand one over more than once, and offices only take originals or certified copies.
3
Replace your Social Security card (free)
A replacement card is always free. Never pay a website to get one.10
Social Security needs proof of identity, and a birth certificate alone isn't enough. Without a license, state ID or passport, they may accept an employee ID, school ID, health insurance or Medicaid card, military ID, or a certified medical record. Documents must be originals or certified copies; no photocopies.11 12 13 14
Without a license or state ID you'll usually need to apply in person at a Social Security office. You can replace your card up to 3 times a year and 10 times in your life, with exceptions for hardship.15 14
Bring
- Your birth certificate
- One identity document from the list above
- Release papers (to support your identity, not replace it)
Tip:
If you have nothing on the identity list, apply for Medicaid first. A Medicaid card is on Social Security's list of documents they may accept.11
4
Get your state ID
Go to your state's DMV (it may be called the BMV, DPS or Secretary of State). Bring your birth certificate, your Social Security card, and proof of where you live.16
No lease? Many states accept a letter instead. California, for example, accepts a letter from a homeless shelter, a shelter for abused women, a nonprofit, a faith-based organization, an employer or a government agency. Ask your parole officer, halfway house or shelter for a residency letter on letterhead, and call your DMV first to confirm what it takes.19
A REAL ID needs extra papers: one identity document, proof of your Social Security number, and two proofs of address. Federal agencies only require REAL ID to board a plane, enter some federal buildings, or enter a nuclear plant. You can still get a standard state ID, and it's often the faster first step.16 17 18
Bring
- Birth certificate
- Social Security card
- Two proofs of address, or a residency letter
- Release papers and prison ID (some states accept these as supporting documents)

What it costs

Document	Cost
Social Security card	Free
Birth certificate	Set by your birth state (for example $29 in California, $22 to $25 in Utah)
State ID	Varies by state; free in some (Ohio: free for 17 and older; Illinois: free at release from prison; Utah: fee waived with a verified homeless status form)

How some states help

A few examples. Your state may have its own program: ask the reentry office or call 888-860-RISE.

California

CAL-ID gives eligible people a California ID on their release date if they have a Social Security number and a California license or ID issued before; apply within 13 months of release.22 23

New York

Prisons issue a DOCCS release ID that expires 120 days after release. Exchange it at the DMV for a non-driver photo ID, bringing your birth certificate, Social Security card and parole papers.24

Ohio

State law requires the prison system to help people without a valid ID apply before release, and state IDs are free for anyone 17 and older.21 20

Illinois

State law makes the state ID free for people being released from prison. Prison staff give you a verification form that can serve as proof of residency.25 26

Texas

TDCJ helps eligible people get a replacement Social Security card, a certified birth certificate and a state ID at release, and DPS lists TDCJ release certificates and inmate ID cards among its supporting documents.27 28

Utah

If you're homeless, a Verification of Homeless Status form meets Utah's residency requirement and waives the ID fee.29

Stuck on a step? You don't have to do this alone.

Call or text, and we'll help you find the right office and what to bring. Someone on our team can step in whenever youwhat to bring, with a real person on our team whenever you need one.apos;d like. Or become a RISING MEMBER: a mentor who's been there helps you build a plan, step by step. You do the work; we walk with you.

Call or text 888-860-RISE Become a RISING MEMBER ID help near you

Questions people ask

What ID do I need first after prison?

Start with your birth certificate from the state where you were born, then replace your Social Security card, then get a state ID at the DMV. Each document helps you get the next one.

Can I get a Social Security card with just my release papers?

Not on their own. Social Security doesn't accept prison or parole papers as identity by themselves, but they can support another document such as a Medicaid card, school record or employee ID. A replacement card is free.

Do I need a REAL ID?

Only to board a plane, enter some federal buildings, or enter a nuclear plant. A standard state ID is still issued, and it's often the faster first step after release.

What if I don't have a permanent address?

Many DMVs accept a residency letter instead of a lease. California accepts letters from shelters, nonprofits, faith-based groups, employers and government agencies. Ask your parole officer, halfway house or shelter for one, and confirm with your DMV first.

Keep going: more first-step guides

Sources

Official pages, read in October 2026. Rules change. If something here looks out of date, please let us know at hello@riseaid.org and we'll fix it.

1.U.S. Code (via Cornell Law School). 18 U.S.C. § 4042: Duties of the Bureau of Prisons (First Step Act prerelease ID planning)
2.Federal Bureau of Prisons. Program Statement 5325.09, Release Preparation Program (June 2026)
3.Social Security Administration. Reentry: prerelease agreements
4.Social Security Administration (POMS SI 00520.910). Prerelease procedure: when claims can be taken
5.Social Security Administration (POMS RM 10210.430). Documents not acceptable as evidence of identity on their own
6.USA.gov. How to replace your birth certificate
7.CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Where to Write for Vital Records
8.CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Where to Write for Vital Records: California
9.CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Where to Write for Vital Records: Utah
10.Social Security Administration. Replace your Social Security card
11.Social Security Administration (POMS RM 10210.420). Evidence of identity for a Social Security card
12.Social Security Administration. Learn what documents you will need to get a Social Security card
13.Code of Federal Regulations, 20 CFR 422.107. Evidence requirements for a Social Security number card
14.Social Security Administration. Your Social Security Number and Card (publication 05-10002)
15.Social Security Administration. Replacement card online: who can use it
16.Code of Federal Regulations, 6 CFR 37.11. REAL ID: documents required
17.Code of Federal Regulations, 6 CFR Part 37. REAL ID: definition of official purposes
18.USA.gov. REAL ID
19.California DMV. REAL ID checklist (residency documents)
20.Ohio BMV. Fees: identification cards
21.Ohio Revised Code. Section 5120.59: identification cards for prisoners
22.California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. CAL-ID program
23.California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (2023). CDCR and DMV update state identification card application process
24.New York State DOCCS. Steps to obtain a DMV photo ID
25.Illinois Secretary of State (2021). New state ID program for those being released from prison
26.Illinois Department of Corrections. Directive 04.50.115: Release Procedures (2026)
27.Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Reentry and Integration Division
28.Texas Department of Public Safety. Form DL-17: Identification requirements
29.Utah Driver License Division. Homeless fee waiver