To vote in person in Ohio, bring a physical, unexpired government-issued photo ID: an Ohio driver’s license or state ID card, a U.S. passport or passport card, a military or veterans ID with your name and photo, or a BMV-issued interim ID form. That’s the short answer to what to bring to vote in Ohio. If you’re voting absentee, you don’t bring anything to a polling place, but your ballot application has to include ID information before the county board of elections will process it.
Photo IDs Accepted at the Polls
Any of the following will get you a regular ballot on Election Day or during early voting at your county board of elections:
- An Ohio driver’s license or state ID card, unexpired. A suspended license still works if it hasn’t expired. Commercial licenses, motorcycle licenses, probationary licenses, and temporary instruction permits all count.
- A BMV interim ID form, issued while your permanent card is in the mail.
- A U.S. passport or passport card.
- A U.S. military ID (including dependent IDs), an Ohio National Guard ID, or a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID, as long as it shows your name and photo.
A few practical points. The ID has to be the physical card. Digital versions stored in Apple Wallet or similar apps are not accepted.1Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Changes to Ohio Voting Laws Starting in 2023 The name on the ID has to substantially match the name on the voter rolls; a middle initial versus a full middle name is fine, but a clear mismatch may push you to a provisional ballot. And if your license shows an old address, you can still cast a regular ballot as long as your current address is on file with the board of elections.2Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Vote Early In-Person
What No Longer Counts
Ohio tightened its voter ID rules in 2023. These documents used to work and no longer do for a regular ballot:
- Utility bills
- Bank statements
- Government checks or paychecks
- Other government documents, including concealed carry permits
- The last four digits of your Social Security number
The Social Security number change matters most for provisional ballots, where it used to serve as a fallback. Only a photo ID satisfies the requirement now.1Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Changes to Ohio Voting Laws Starting in 2023
If You Forget or Don’t Have an ID
You can still vote. You’ll cast a provisional ballot, sign a written statement in front of an election official confirming you’re a registered voter eligible in that precinct, and your ballot goes into a sealed envelope. It won’t be counted on Election Day.
To get that ballot counted, you have four calendar days after the election to visit your county board of elections in person and show an acceptable photo ID. The board is required to be open during that window for exactly this reason.3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 3505.181 – Eligibility to Cast Provisional Ballot Miss the four days and the ballot doesn’t count. This deadline trips people up because it goes fast.
Provisional ballots also come into play if you’re at the wrong precinct, your name isn’t on the rolls, or you didn’t update your address at least 30 days before the election.
Absentee Voters: What Goes on the Application
If you’re voting by mail, the ID requirement moves to your ballot application. You have to include one of these:
- Your Ohio driver’s license or state ID card number
- The last four digits of your Social Security number
- A photocopy of an acceptable photo ID
The Social Security number option still works for absentee applications even though it was eliminated for in-person voting. Without one of these three, the board of elections won’t process your application.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 3509.03 – Application for Absent Voters Ballot
Getting a Free State ID If You Need One
If you don’t have a driver’s license or passport, the simplest path is an Ohio state ID card from the BMV. Under Ohio law, the card is free to any resident age 17 or older who doesn’t hold a driver’s license from Ohio or any other state and doesn’t already have an ID from another state. Bring documents proving your identity, Social Security number, and Ohio residency to a BMV office.
If you do hold an out-of-state license or ID, you don’t qualify for the free card; an initial Ohio state ID costs $13. Give yourself time. BMV processing and mail delivery aren’t instant, and a digital confirmation won’t get you through the polls.
Check Your Registration Before You Go
Ohio’s registration deadline is 30 days before any election, whether you register online, by mail, or in person.5Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3503 – Section 3503.19 Before Election Day, confirm your registration and find your assigned polling place with the Secretary of State’s voter lookup tool at voterlookup.ohiosos.gov.6Ohio Secretary of State. My Voter Information – Voter Search If something looks off, call your county board of elections. Sorting out a registration problem in advance is much easier than dealing with a provisional ballot later.