Voter Identification Requirements / Types of Valid ID

There are several types of valid ID.

Photo ID: Any document issued by the U.S. government or the State of Ohio that includes ALL of the following is an acceptable photo identification: An expiration date that has not passed;

A photograph of the voter;

The voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book; and

The voter’s current address, which must substantially conform to the voter’s address as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book UNLESS the ID is an Ohio driver’s license or state ID card.



NOTICE: An unexpired Ohio Driver License, State ID Card, or Interim Documentation with your former address IS an ACCEPTABLE form of ID when your current address is in the pollbook.



*In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, driver licenses or state identification cards set to expire on or after March 9, 2020, are automatically extended and remain valid through the November 3, 2020 General Election.



NOTE: On July 2, 2018, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles began issuing a new format of Ohio’s driver licenses and state identification cards. The BMV is also issuing Ohio Interim Documentation until the applicant receives their new ID through the mail. A driver’s license or state identification card in the old or new format, the Ohio Interim Documentation, and a voter’s old, hole-punched driver’s license or state ID card are acceptable forms of identification for voting, as long as the expiration date has not passed.



If the voter changed their name and provides proof of the legal name change, completes and signs Form 10-L, and is registered within the precinct, the voter’s name as it appears on the photo ID may or may not be the voter’s reported change of name. Military ID: Valid military identification cards or copies of such cards must be accepted regardless of whether they contain a name or address. However, this form of ID must still allow a precinct election official to determine that it is the military ID card of the person who is presenting it for the purpose of voting. Utility Bill: A utility bill is a statement of fees owed and/or paid for services, and includes, but is not limited to, water, sewer, electric, heating, cable, internet, telephone and cellular telephone services. A valid utility bill may show a $0.00 balance or no amount owed. Bank Statement: A bank statement includes, but is not limited to, a statement from any financial or brokerage institution. Government Check: A government check includes, but is not limited to, a paycheck, check stub or receipt provided for direct deposit of funds issued by any level of government (known as “political subdivision”) in Ohio, or for any other state, or the United States government. Paycheck: A paycheck includes a paycheck, check stub or receipt provided for the direct deposit of wages or earnings from any public or private employer.



For the forms of ID listed in 3-6 above, the following rules for determining their validity apply: The document may be a printout of an electronically transmitted copy or regular paper copy.

The name and address on the document must conform to the voter’s information as it appears in the Poll Book.

The document must be current within 12 months of the Election Day for which the voter is presenting it. Other Government Document: Must contain the correct name and current address of voter.

Other government documents are acceptable forms of voter identification. A government document is a document that is issued by a government office, which includes any local (city, county, township and village government), state or federal government office, branch, agency, department, division or similar component, including a board, commission, public college or university or public community college, whether or not in Ohio. Examples of government documents include, but are not limited to, letters, tax bills, licenses, notices, court papers, grade reports, and transcripts.

The name and address on the government document must conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book.

The document must be current within 12 months of the Election Day for which the voter is presenting it for the purpose of voting or has on it an expiration date which has not passed as of the date of the election in which the voter seeks to vote.



REMEMBER: A voter who moves within the precinct (and completes a Voter Registration Form) or provides proof of legal name change (and completes Form 10-L) votes a regular ballot.

Unacceptable Types of ID

Ohio law prohibits acceptance of the following forms of ID:

Driver’s license or photo identification card issued by a state other than Ohio; Social Security card; Passport; Birth certificate, unless voter still lives at the house where they resided at birth, and the birth certificate contains that home address, in which case this is acceptable as an "other government document"; Insurance card; or Any registration acknowledgment notice from the county board of elections.

Provisional ballots

If you do not have any of the above forms of identification you may provide either your Ohio driver’s license or state identification number (which begins with two letters followed by six numbers) or the last four digits of your Social Security number and cast a provisional ballot. Once the information is reviewed and verified by the board of elections, your ballot will be counted.

If you do not provide one of the above documents or your driver’s license/state identification number or the last four digits of your Social Security number at the precinct, you will still be able to vote using a provisional ballot. However, in order for that ballot to be counted, you must return to the board of elections no later than seven days following Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification.

Follow this link for more information on provisional ballots.