Ohio

Registered voters in Ohio need to confirm their identity when they vote in person. There are several forms of identification you can use.

You need to provide either ID information or a copy of acceptable ID to vote by mail in Ohio.

Is out-of-state ID accepted?

No!
You cannot use an ID issued by another state

Is student ID accepted?

No!
You cannot use a student ID

Is an expired ID accepted?

Sometimes!
Photo IDs must be unexpired, while non-photo IDs can be dated within the last 12 months

Learn About Voting In Person
Learn About Voting By Mail
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Ohio ID Requirements for Voting In Person

ACCEPTABLE ID

You can use the following IDs: 

  • Unexpired Ohio driver’s license
  • Unexpired Ohio state ID
  • Military ID
  • Unexpired photo ID issued by the United States federal government or state of Ohio that shows your name and current address

You can also use one of these forms of identification. It must show your name, your current address, and be dated within the last 12 months. You can present the original document or a copy:

  • Utility bill (including cell phone bill)
  • Bank statement
  • Government check
  • Paycheck
  • Other government document

    •  Can be issued by federal, state, or local government (other than a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections)
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Frequently Asked Questions

Registered voters in Ohio must confirm their identity when they vote in person.

If you are a registered voter but do not present an acceptable ID at the polling place, you may cast a provisional ballot.

Your ballot will count if you provide your Ohio driver’s license or state ID number OR the last four digits of your Social Security number. This information will be reviewed and verified by the board of elections.

You may also appear in person at the board of elections within seven days following Election Day to provide a qualifying form of identification.

If you have changed your name but have not yet updated your voter registration, you may vote a regular ballot rather than a provisional ballot as long as you have not moved to a new address outside of your voting precinct. You must provide to elections officials: proof of a legal name change such as a marriage license or a court order that includes your current and prior names. At your polling location or designated vote center, you will simply be asked to complete a change of name form (Secretary of State prescribed 10-L).

Get in touch with VoteRiders if you have questions or need free help securing ID.

You do not need a REAL ID to vote in Ohio.

Ohio calls an ID that meets the REAL ID requirements under federal law a “Compliant DL-ID”. 

Your driver’s license or state ID card will show a gold star if it is a Compliant DL-ID.

Get in touch with VoteRiders if you have questions or need free help getting ID.

If your license or ID card expired on or after March 9, 2020, your expiration date has been automatically extended until 90 days after Ohio’s state of emergency ends or December 1, 2020 – whichever comes first.

Ohio ID Requirements for Voting By Mail

Any registered Ohio voter can vote absentee. No excuse is necessary.

You need to provide either ID information or a copy of acceptable ID to vote by mail in Ohio.

REQUEST YOUR BALLOT

Frequently Asked Questions

Any registered Ohio voter can vote absentee. No excuse is necessary but you must request a ballot.

Voters must provide one of the following:

  • Ohio driver’s license number
  • Last four digits of their Social Security Number (SSN)

If a voter cannot provide either of the above, then they must include a copy of an acceptable ID when they apply. You can use one of the following:

  • Any current and valid photo ID with your name
  • Military ID with your name 
  • Utility bill with your name and Ohio address (dated within the last 12 months)
  • Bank statement with your name and Ohio address (dated within the last 12 months)
  • Paycheck with your name and Ohio address (dated within the last 12 months)
  • Government documents including check, other than voter registration notification, with your name and current address (dated within the last 12 months)

Learn more about federal ID requirements for first-time voters.

If you need a copy and don’t have the means to print one: Get free help printing a copy of your ID

No, but the signature on your mail ballot must match your signature on file with the state.

If the information on your ballot is found to be incomplete or does not conform to the data in the registration database (for example: if your signature doesn’t match your signature on file), a notice will be sent by election administrators informing you of the nature of the defect.

You will have until the seventh day after the election to resolve the issue(s).

OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE