How to Get or Renew a Military ID Card for Spouses, Dependents, Veterans and Retirees

Those eligible for the Next Generation Uniformed Services ID card include certain service members, retirees, veterans and affiliated personnel, such as:

• Members of the Individual Ready Reserves and Inactive National Guard
• Non-common access card-eligible civilian noncombatant personnel deployed in conjunction with military operations overseas
• Retired members entitled to retired pay
• Members of the Temporary Disability Retired List
• Members of the Permanent Disability Retired List
• Retired members of the reserves and National Guard
• Medal of Honor recipients
• Veterans with a 100% disability rating
• Former members in receipt of retired pay
• Transitional health care members
• Full-time paid United Service Organizations personnel when living abroad
• United Seaman’s Service personnel living abroad
• Officers and crews of Military Sealift Command vessels deployed to foreign countries

Family members who may be eligible for a military ID include authorized dependents of:

• Active-duty service members of the regular components
• Reserve component service members on active duty for more than 30 days
• Military retirees
• Medal of Honor recipients
• Former members in receipt of retired pay
• Transitional health care members
• Veterans with a 100% disability rating
• Ship’s officers and crew members of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps vessels
• Reserve members not on active duty or in receipt of retired pay
• Former members not in receipt of retired pay
• Reserve service members who die after receiving notification of eligibility

Surviving dependents of the following may also be eligible:

• Active-duty and retired service members
• Medal of Honor recipients

Eligibility is governed by DOW policy and may vary based on individual circumstances.

What is the Next Generation Uniformed Services ID card?

The DOW began transitioning from legacy ID cards to the Next Generation USID to increase security and deter fraud. Legacy ID cards remain valid through their expiration date, and individuals with an indefinite expiration date on their card can replace their card with a Next Generation USID.

Military retirees and others with legacy ID cards that have indefinite expiration dates are encouraged to update their USID cards to the plastic-based Next Generation USID at their convenience.

Your military ID card shows the benefits you’re entitled to. Depending on eligibility, these may include health care benefits through TRICARE, commissary and exchange access, Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs, and other privileges.

You can get a military ID card online through the ID Card Office Online or in person at a Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification System site. RAPIDS offices are located on military bases, National Guard armories and reserve training locations.

Depending on the installation or branch of service, these offices may be called the Pass and ID office, Military Personnel Flight, DEERS office, Personnel Support Detachment, ID Card Section, S1, One Stop. Appointments are recommended, and availability may vary by location. Use this RAPIDS site locator to find a location near you to make an appointment.

Use the RAPIDS site locator on the ID Card Office Online website to find the nearest location that can issue a military ID.

A sponsor may be able to renew or replace their own or a dependent’s USID card online through the ID Card Office Online website.

To receive a first military ID card, the family member must be enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System.

To enroll and apply for a military ID:

• Complete DD Form 1172-2. The service member serves as the sponsor and signs the form.
• Submit the form through the ID Card Office Online or in person at a RAPIDS site.
• Bring the completed DD Form 1172-2 and two forms of identification to a RAPIDS site. One ID must be a state or federal government-issued photo ID. Dependents will need a Social Security number or tax ID number if they are U.S. citizens or U.S. persons.

Newly married military spouses should bring a marriage certificate. Children under age 18 will need proof of relationship to the sponsor, such as a birth certificate. Additional documentation may be required depending on eligibility or circumstances.

For more details on how to apply for your first military ID, read this prearrival checklist.

ID Card Office Online provides assistance preparing DD Form 1172-2 for sponsors who have the required credentials, such as CAC or myAuth.

Renewing or replacing a military ID follows the same process of getting your first card, with two key differences:

1. Your current Next Generation Uniformed Services ID card counts as one of your two required forms of identification.
2. In some cases, you may be apply to renew or replace your military ID through the ID Card Office Online.

To make changes, your DEERS information must be current. You can check or change your DEERS information online at MilConnect or by contacting the Defense Manpower Data Center support office at 800-538-9522, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time (except on federal holidays).

You may need a birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree or other official records to update your DEERS information. Check out this prearrival checklist to learn more about renewing your military ID.

Renewal periods vary based on status, length of enlistment of the sponsor, age and other factors. You may need documentation similar to what was required when your ID card was first issued.

If your Uniformed Services ID card is lost or stolen, you can request a replacement at a RAPIDS office. For dependents, DD Form 1172-2 serves as the supporting documentation for replacement.

If you are no longer listed in DEERS as an eligible dependent — such as due to divorce, the sponsor’s separation from the military or aging out of eligibility — you should return your ID to any office that issues military IDs. Expired ID cards should also be returned.

Unmarried former spouses may be eligible for a military ID if they meet the 20/20/20 rule:

• The sponsor served at least 20 years of creditable service.
• The marriage lasted at least 20 years.
• There was at least a 20-year overlap between the marriage and the military service.

In this case, the former spouse is their own sponsor, and the ID card is issued under their Social Security number. Former spouses must present two forms of identification along with a marriage certificate, divorce decree and proof of the service member’s service, such as DD Form 214 or Statement of Service.

Unmarried former spouses who meet the 20/20/15 rule have the same documentation requirements as 20/20/20 spouses, but the period of overlap is at least 15 years but less than 20 years. Their ID cards are only valid for medical care and will expire after one year.

Dependents who are registered in DEERS are eligible for a military ID card. In most situations, dependents under age 10 do not require a military ID.

Although not typically issued, ID cards for dependents under the age 10 may be approved in certain situations, including:

• The child’s sponsor is a single parent with no eligible spouse.
• The child’s parents are dual-military.
• The child lives with a temporary guardian.
• The child lives with a parent who is not the sponsor’s spouse.
• The child’s physical appearance makes identification necessary.
• Other unique circumstances as determined by installation security.

Former dependents enrolled in TRICARE Young Adult must provide proof of enrollment, a DD Form 1172-2 signed by the sponsor and two forms of identification.

Surviving spouses and eligible children of deceased active-duty members, retired military members, Medal of Honor recipients, and 100% disabled veterans are eligible for military IDs.

Surviving dependents of deceased reserve and National Guard members, retired reserve members not yet age 60 and former members not in receipt of retired pay may also be eligible.

Remarried surviving spouses of deceased members of the armed forces — including active-duty, National Guard and reserve members — are eligible for a Uniformed Services ID card. Documentation requirements include DD Form 1172-2 and two valid IDs, one of which must be a government-issued photo ID.

Under federal law, military ID cards are issued only to veterans who are eligible for medical care and certain benefits provided by the DOW. This includes:

• Retired military members
• Those entitled to receive retainer pay
• Veterans determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs to have a 100% disability rating or are 100% unemployable due to a service-connected injury or disease

Veterans who do not meet these criteria are not eligible for a DOW ID card.

Spouses of eligible veterans may qualify for a military ID if the veteran is entitled to DOW-provided medical care and benefits. If the veteran is not eligible, their spouse is not eligible for a DOW ID card.

Caregivers are not eligible for Uniformed Services ID cards. However, permanent caregivers of eligible ID cardholders may request an Installation Access Card for the installation used by the authorized person.

Each installation sets its own process, which may include a form and a letter from a physician verifying the need for assistance. Installation Access Cards allow caregivers to perform activities for the authorized user, including shopping and prescription pickup.