Currently, voters are required to present photo identification when vote in personboth during early voting and on election day.

However, the National Council of State Board of Elections (NCSBE) clarifies that a registered person Those who cannot present acceptable identification may still vote, following the corresponding exception procedure.

Acceptable IDs for Voting

Any of the following items that have not expired or that expired a year or less ago:

• North Carolina Driver's License
• NCDMV state identification, also called “non-driver identification”.
• Driver's license or non-driver's identification from another state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory (only if the voter is registered in North Carolina within 90 days prior to the election).
• US Passport or US Passport Card
• North Carolina voter photo identification card issued by a county board of elections (See Get a free voter photo ID )
• University student photo ID approved by the State Board of Elections (see note below).
• Photo ID of a state or local government employee or a State Board of Elections-approved charter school employee

The NCSBE clarifies that a voter aged 65 or older may use a valid expired ID if that ID had not expired on their 65th birthday.

IDs that are accepted regardless of their expiration date

Some forms of identification are also accepted regardless of whether they have an issue or expiration date:

• Military or veteran photo identification card issued by the United States government.
• Tribal membership card with photo issued by a tribe recognized by the State of North Carolina or the federal government.
• Photographic identification document issued by a United States government agency or the state of North Carolina for a public assistance program.

Free photo ID cards

All county election boards can issue free photo IDs to registered voters in their county.

To obtain a free photo ID, the voter must provide their name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their social security number, and have their photograph taken.

For more information, visit the How to get a free photo ID to vote page.

Additionally, any North Carolina resident can obtain a free non-driver identification card at the NCDMV.

For more information, see the “Free ID cards” section in State IDs | NCDMV .

Absentee voters by mail

Voters who cast their ballot by mail must include a photocopy of a valid ID when returning their ballot, or they can complete an ID exception form.

The voter places the photocopy of the identification or the identification exception form in an outer pocket of the ballot envelope, which is then inserted into an outer return envelope to protect the voter's privacy.

Military personnel and overseas voters casting their ballots under special provisions for these voters must present a photocopy of their identity document or an identification exemption form when returning their ballot.

You may be interested:  Maritza Gomez: Candidate for Guilford County Board of Education, District 6

Official resources

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What ID is needed to vote in North Carolina in 2026?

by Walter Gomez, Enlace Latino NC
September 21, 2026

Enlace Latino NCSeptember 21, 2026 Currently, voters are required to present a photo ID when voting in person , both during early voting and on election day. However, the National Council of State Board of Elections (NCSBE) clarifies that a registered person who cannot present acceptable identification may still vote, following the appropriate exception procedure. In North Carolina, voters will be asked to show a photo ID. Most will simply show their driver's license, but there are many other acceptable photo IDs./Walter Gomez, ELNC Acceptable IDs for voting Any of the following items that have not expired or that expired a year or less ago: North Carolina driver's license NCDMV state identification, also called “non-driver identification”. Driver's license or identification other than a driver's license from another state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory. UU. (only if the voter is registered in North Carolina within 90 days prior to the election). U.S. passport or U.S. passport card North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a county board of elections ( see Get a free voter photo ID ) University student photo ID approved by the State Board of Elections (see note below). Photo ID of a state or local government employee or a State Board of Elections-approved charter school employee The NCSBE clarifies that a voter aged 65 or older may use a valid expired ID if that ID had not expired on their 65th birthday. IDs that are accepted regardless of their expiration date Some forms of identification are also accepted regardless of whether they have an issue or expiration date: Military or veteran photo identification card issued by the United States government. Tribal membership card with photo issued by a tribe recognized by the State of North Carolina or the federal government. Photographic identification document issued by a United States government agency or the state of North Carolina for a public assistance program. Free photo ID cards All county election boards can issue free photo IDs to registered voters in their county. To obtain a free photo ID, the voter must provide their name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their social security number, and have their photograph taken. For more information, visit the How to get a free photo ID to vote page. Additionally, any North Carolina resident can obtain a free non-driver identification card at the NCDMV. For more information, see the "Free ID Cards" section in State IDs | NCDMV . Absentee voters by mail Voters who cast their ballot by mail must include a photocopy of a valid ID when returning their ballot, or they can complete an ID exception form. The voter places the photocopy of the identification or the identification exception form in an outer pocket of the ballot envelope, which is then inserted into an outer return envelope to protect the voter's privacy. Military personnel and overseas voters casting their ballots under special provisions for these voters must present a photocopy of their identity document or an identification exemption form when returning their ballot. You may be interested in: Maritza Gómez: candidate for the Guilford County Board of Education, District 6 Official resources How to get a North Carolina state ID How to get a free voter ID Tribal IDs accepted for voting This <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org/que-identificacion-se-necesita-para-votar-en-carolina-del-norte-2026/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://enlacelatinonc.org">Enlace Latino NCand is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: "https://enlacelatinonc.org/que-identificacion-se-necesita-para-votar-en-carolina-del-norte-4.0/", urlref: window.location.href }); } }

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