Voter ID
in North Carolina

Acceptable ID Types for North Carolina

A new law went into effect in April 2023, which means that North Carolina voters will now be required to show Photo ID in order to vote.  Your ID must be unexpired or expired less than one year. It can be expired for any amount of time if you are over 65 and your ID expired after your 65th birthday. Valid forms of identification include;

• North Carolina driver license
• North Carolina state ID card (also called a non operators ID)
• US Passport or Passport Card
• North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a County Board of Elections
• North Carolina student ID card approved by the NC Board of Elections
• Employee ID issued by North Carolina state or local government or charter school approved by the State Board of Elections.
• Out-of-state driver’s license or ID card (only for use by voters who have registered to vote in North Carolina within 90 days of an election)

You can use the following IDs even if they do not have an issuance or expiration date.

• Military ID card issued by US Government
• Veterans ID card issued by US Department of Veterans Affairs
• Tribal enrollment card

Voter ID Details

If this is your first time voting and you registered to vote by mail, you will need to provide identification. We recommend a photo ID with your current address or an official piece of mail with your current address

Voter ID & Voting By Mail

First time voters must submit ID when voting by mail.

ID is required with completed mail-in ballot.

If a voter is requesting to vote by mail they must submit North Carolina driver's license or state ID number, or last four digits of their social security number. ID does not need to be sent when returning a ballot in the mail, but the signature on the ballot will be checked against the signature on the voter registration form. Absentee ballots will not be counted unless the affidavit is notarized or has the signatures of 2 non-prohibited witnesses.

What happens when you go to vote without an ID

You can vote using a provisional ballot.

Trans and Non-Binary Voters

Click here for state specific information for updating your ID and voter registration.