Voting & Elections Toolkits

If you are registering to vote in the District of Columbia for the first time and you submit your application by mail or online, you must either include a copy of one of the following documents with your application or present a copy of the document the first time you vote: 

• A copy of a current and valid government-issued photo identification

• A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck (dated no earlier than 90 days before the date upon which you mail your application or, if you do not submit proof by mail or online, 90 days before the date you vote)

• Any other government-issued document

Registered voters do not need to present identification or proof of residence to vote. However, we encourage you to take some form of identification with you to vote in case you need it.

If you plan to register in person during the Early Voting period or on Election Day, you will need to provide proof of residence to register and vote.

If this is your first time voting in DC and you did not provide proof of residence when registering, you will need to show proof of residence in order to cast a live (regular) ballot.

Acceptable forms of proof of residence include the following ( must include the name and address of the voter):

• Valid District of Columbia DMV-issued ID 
• Government check or paycheck*
• Bank statement*
• Current utility bill (does not include cell phone)*
• Student housing statement/tuition bill
• Homeless shelter occupancy statement
• Residential Lease
• Other current government document that shows your name and address

(*) - The issue, bill, or statement date must be within 90 days of Election Day

Information for DC DMV-issued ID

The District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles issues both driver's licenses and non-driver identification cards to DC residents. Information on requirements to obtain either form of identification can be found on the DMV website.

Librarians from the Government Documents Round Table (GODORT), a Round Table of the American Library Association (ALA), created these reference guides. These guides are intended for informational purposes only and are not in any way intended to be legal advice.

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