Primary Elections 2026 | To vote in North Carolina during the early voting period that begins on Thursday, February 12, you will be asked for a Photo identification that is up-to-date with address.
You can present your driver's license or your current state identification card with your updated address. If you do not have a photo ID, you can still vote but you will need to complete an ID Exception Form.
Not only will a driver's license be accepted, but the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) website also lists a number of other acceptable documents.
“Voters will be asked to show a photo ID. Most will simply show their driver’s license, but there are many other forms of photo ID that are accepted,” the board states on its website.
The Identification Exception Form
According to the board, if a voter cannot show an acceptable photo ID when voting in person, they can still vote by completing an ID Exception Form.
On the other hand, if those voting by mail are unable to include a copy of their photo ID with their ballot envelope, they can also complete an ID Exception Form to return with their ballot. (See ID exceptions below.)
Note: Military and foreign voters casting their ballot under special provisions must present a photocopy of their identification or an Identification Exception Form when returning their ballot.
>>> Explore election data, key dates, candidates, and Latino voter turnout for the 2026 primary elections with the North Carolina Election Map de Enlace Latino NC
Acceptable photo IDs for voting
Any of the following documents that have not expired, or that have expired one year or less:
- North Carolina Driver's License
- NCDMV State ID, also called “Non-Carrier ID”
- Driver's license or non-driver ID from another state, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory (only if the voter 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
- College or university student photo ID approved by the State Board of Elections (see citation below)
- State or local government employee photo ID or charter school ID approved by the State Board of Elections
Note: A voter aged 65 or older may use an acceptable form of expired identification, if it was not expired on their 65th birthday.
Any of the following documents, regardless of whether they contain an expiration or issue date, are:
- Military or veteran photo ID card issued by the U.S. government.
- Photo identification card issued by a U.S. government agency or the State of North Carolina for a public assistance program:
Note: Although this is an acceptable form of identification under North Carolina law, the State Board is not aware of any such photo IDs in circulation. All voter IDs must include a photograph.
Free photo ID cards
All county election boards can issue voter identification documents with photos that are free for registered voters in their county.
To obtain a free voter photo ID card, the voter must provide their name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security number, and have their photo taken.
Related: Voters without identification can obtain it for free at county election boards.
Voters in person
Voters must show acceptable photo identification when registering at their polling place during early voting or on Election Day.
Election workers check if the photo on the ID card reasonably resembles the voter and if the name on the document is the same as or very similar to the voter's name on their registration.
The address shown on the photo ID does not have to match the voter registration records.
If the voter does not show acceptable identification, they may proceed to vote in one of the following two ways:
- Complete an Identification Exception Form and then vote with a provisional ballot, o
- Vote with a provisional ballot and then return to the county board of elections office with your photo ID before noon on the third business day after the election.
Mail-in voters
If you vote by mail, you must include a photocopy of an acceptable identity document when returning your ballot, or you can complete an Identification Exception Form.
The voter places the photocopy of the identity document or the Identification Exception Form in a pocket on the outside of the ballot container envelope, which is then placed in an outer return envelope to protect the voter's privacy.
Related: More than 241 North Carolina voters will receive letters to update their registration
Identification exceptions
If a voter is unable to present photo identification when voting (either in person or by mail), they can complete an Identification Exception Form and still vote using their ballot. The voter will choose from the following permitted exceptions:
1. The voter has a “reasonable impediment” To show photo identification. This means that something is preventing the voter from showing their identification. The voter must give their reason by selecting from the following options on the form.
- You cannot obtain an ID by:
- Lack of transport
- Disability or illness
- Lack of birth certificate or other documents required to obtain an ID
- Work or school schedule
- family responsibilities
- If your photo ID was lost, stolen, or misplaced
- You have requested a photo ID but have not received it.
- (For mail-in voters only) A copy of the photo ID cannot be attached (the voter must include the driver's license number or the last four digits of the social security number on the form)
- Other reasonable impediment (if you select this option, the voter must write the reason on the form)
- State or federal law prohibits the voter from stating the reason
2. The voter has a religious objection to being photographed.
3. The voter was a victim of a natural disaster in the 100 days prior to election day that resulted in a disaster declaration by the President of the United States or the Governor of North Carolina.
Links of interest:
>>> North Carolina State Board of Elections
>>> How to get an NCDMV State ID
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