Is there a national ID card in the United States?

No. The US has no federal national identity card. The REAL ID Act sets minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards (full enforcement began May 7, 2025) but it explicitly does not create a single national ID document. In practice, Americans use a driver's license, a state ID card, or a US passport wherever a "national ID" is requested.

What's the difference between a national ID card and a driver's license?

A national ID card proves identity and citizenship and carries no driving privileges. A driver's license grants the right to drive and carries a license class and number issued by a transport or motor-vehicle authority. Many countries issue both as separate cards; in the US the driver's license effectively doubles as the everyday ID because there's no national identity card.

What information is on a national identity card?

Typically your full name, photo, date of birth, sex, nationality, a card (document) number, and the issue and expiration dates. Many cards also carry a separate national identification number (Poland's PESEL, Spain's DNI number, Italy's codice fiscale) plus a machine-readable zone and, on newer EU cards, a chip with biometric data.

How long is a national ID card valid?

It varies by country, but most national ID cards are valid for about 10 years for adults and a shorter period for children. The expiration date is printed on the card. Across the EU, cards follow a common secure format under EU rules, and older non-conforming cards are being phased out by 2031, so check your card's date well before it lapses.

Is the national ID number the same as the card number?

Usually not. The card (document) number identifies the physical card and changes each time you renew. The national ID number, like Poland's PESEL or Spain's DNI number, is a personal identifier that stays with you for life. Both are sensitive; the personal number in particular should be guarded like a Social Security number.

Identity

National ID Card

A national identity card (national ID card) is a government-issued card that proves a person's identity and citizenship within their country. Standard across Europe and much of the world, it shows your name, photo, date of birth, a document number, and often a national ID number. The United States has no such card. Americans use driver's licenses, state IDs, and passports instead.

EU nationals can travel across all 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland with a valid national identity card: no passport required.

Source: Your Europe (European Union): Travel documents for EU nationals

Written & maintained by the Granite team · Last updated June 2026

Overview

Most countries issue a national identity card as the everyday proof of who you are: you show it at banks, government offices, hospitals, and when signing contracts. In the European Union it doubles as a travel document: an EU national can cross all 27 member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland with just their ID card, no passport required. Cards go by local names (Dowód osobisty in Poland, Personalausweis in Germany, DNI in Spain, Carta d'Identità in Italy) but carry the same core data.

The United States is the outlier. There is no federal national ID card; the REAL ID standard that took full effect on May 7, 2025 sets minimum security rules for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards, but it deliberately does not create a single national identity document. So when an American is asked for their "national ID," the practical equivalents are a driver's license, a state ID card, or a US passport.

When you’ll get your National ID Card

You're a citizen or resident of a country that issues national ID cards
You renewed an expiring or expired ID card
You need it to open a bank account, sign a lease, or access government services
You're an EU national using it to travel within Europe instead of a passport
You're a dual citizen or immigrant keeping a foreign ID alongside US documents
You replaced a lost or stolen card

What’s on your National ID Card

These are the fields Granite reads and extracts automatically the moment you upload one.

Full Name: The holder's legal name as printed on the card.
Document Number: The card's own serial number (e.g. the Polish dowód number or German Ausweisnummer). Highly sensitive: treat it like an account number.
Issuing Country: The country whose government issued the card.
National ID Number: A personal identification number distinct from the card number, when present: Poland's PESEL, Spain's DNI number, Italy's codice fiscale. Highly sensitive.
Date of Birth: Used to confirm identity and age.
Issue & Expiration Dates: When the card was issued and when it expires. Most national ID cards are valid 10 years for adults.
Issuing Authority: The office or government body that issued the card.

How long to keep it

While active

Keep while it's active, then you can let it go

An ID card is the document you most often need on short notice (proving identity to a bank, a landlord, a border officer, or a hospital) and it's the one that's hardest to locate in a hurry. A copy of both sides also speeds replacement if the physical card is lost or stolen, since it preserves the card number and issuing details. Keep expired cards out of circulation, but don't rely on a drawer to find the current one in time.

General guidance for National ID Card, not tax or legal advice. Verify current IRS/FTC rules or consult a professional for your situation.

How Granite handles your National ID Card

Granite recognizes a national identity card, whether it's a Polish Dowód osobisty, a German Personalausweis, or any other country's card, and pulls the holder name, document number, issuing country, national ID number, and issue and expiration dates. It files the card with your identity documents and the cardholder's person record, treats the document and national ID numbers as sensitive, and warns you before the card expires, well ahead of any renewal.

FAQ

National ID Card: common questions

Is there a national ID card in the United States?: No. The US has no federal national identity card. The REAL ID Act sets minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards (full enforcement began May 7, 2025) but it explicitly does not create a single national ID document. In practice, Americans use a driver's license, a state ID card, or a US passport wherever a "national ID" is requested.
What's the difference between a national ID card and a driver's license?: A national ID card proves identity and citizenship and carries no driving privileges. A driver's license grants the right to drive and carries a license class and number issued by a transport or motor-vehicle authority. Many countries issue both as separate cards; in the US the driver's license effectively doubles as the everyday ID because there's no national identity card.
Can I travel in Europe with a national ID card instead of a passport?: Yes, if you're an EU/EEA national. EU citizens can travel across all 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland with a valid national identity card: no passport needed. The card must be valid on the day of travel. Non-EU nationals and travel outside this area generally still require a passport.
What information is on a national identity card?: Typically your full name, photo, date of birth, sex, nationality, a card (document) number, and the issue and expiration dates. Many cards also carry a separate national identification number (Poland's PESEL, Spain's DNI number, Italy's codice fiscale) plus a machine-readable zone and, on newer EU cards, a chip with biometric data.
How long is a national ID card valid?: It varies by country, but most national ID cards are valid for about 10 years for adults and a shorter period for children. The expiration date is printed on the card. Across the EU, cards follow a common secure format under EU rules, and older non-conforming cards are being phased out by 2031, so check your card's date well before it lapses.
Is the national ID number the same as the card number?: Usually not. The card (document) number identifies the physical card and changes each time you renew. The national ID number, like Poland's PESEL or Spain's DNI number, is a personal identifier that stays with you for life. Both are sensitive; the personal number in particular should be guarded like a Social Security number.

Sources

This page is checked against primary and authoritative sources:

Keep your National ID Card in one place.

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