Voter ID
in California

Acceptable ID Types for California

California voters are not required to show ID at the polls or by mail.

First time voters who did not provide their DL number or SSN when registering to vote will need to provide one of the following forms of identification when voting;

In Person: Photo ID or proof of residence
By Mail: Copy of photo ID or proof of residence

Valid Forms of Identification include;

Photo IDs that have photograph and name

• Driver's license or state issued ID card
• Passport
• Employee ID card
• Credit or Debit card
• Military ID
• Student ID
• Health Club ID
• Insurance Plan ID card
• Public Housing ID Card

“Non-photo” IDs that have name and address

• Utility Bill
• Bank Statement
• Government check
• Government Paycheck
• Document Issued by a governmental agency

What happens when you go to vote without an ID

If you did not provide identification with your registration and did not bring identification with you to vote, you will be allowed to vote a provisional ballot. Your local election official will use your signature to verify your registration and, as long as all is correct, your ballot will be counted.

Trans and Non-Binary Voters

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