Speaker Ralston Proposes Free State-Issued Photo ID for Georgians

ATLANTA – Today, Speaker of the House David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) proposed that State ID cards through the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) be free to all eligible Georgians. Currently, DDS assesses a $32 fee for State ID cards. Similar in form to driver’s licenses, State ID cards are compliant with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s REAL ID standard and may be used for voter identification among other purposes. Georgia already offers a free voter photo identification, but that document may only be used for voting.

“I am committed to eliminating barriers to voting for all legally eligible Georgians,” said Speaker David Ralston. “We have heard from Georgians who are concerned about fees associated with obtaining a voter identification. While Georgia already offers a free voter ID, this State ID card is more useful and will make it easier for Georgians to not only vote, but use the ID to open a checking account or show identification to a TSA agent at an airport. Ultimately, we want to make getting a government-issued photo ID as easy as possible and removing this fee is one more way to demonstrate our commitment that everyone has the tools necessary to vote in Georgia. I look forward to working with Governor Kemp, Lt. Governor Duncan, and my colleagues in the General Assembly to keep Georgia’s elections accessible and secure.”

State ID cards are one of many types of identification cards and licenses obtained through the Georgia Department of Driver Services. You can learn more about obtaining a State ID card through the DDS website at https://dds.georgia.gov/how-do-i-id-card.