Iowa: Do you need an ID to vote?
Iowa requires ID at the polls. A free non-photo Voter ID card counts, and a voter with no ID may vote provisionally.
The main list is an Iowa driver's license or nonoperator ID, a U.S. passport, a military or veterans ID, or a tribal ID. Registered voters who don't have a state driver's license or ID get a free Voter ID card with their name, voter number and PIN but no photo, and it must be signed before use. Since July 1, 2026, a voter without ID can no longer have another registered voter vouch for them by oath. A voter with no accepted ID can cast a provisional ballot, which counts only if the voter shows ID before polls close or to the county auditor by noon the Monday after the election.
Conditions
- Voter ID card must be signed before use
- Provisional voters must show ID by noon the Monday after the election
What the law says
Before a precinct election official furnishes a ballot to a voter under section 49.77, the voter shall establish the voter's identity by presenting the official with one of the following forms of identification for verification: ... a person who is registered to vote but is unable to present a form of identification listed under subsection 2 may present any of the following: a. A current voter identification card provided pursuant to section 48A.10A that contains the voter identification number if the voter identification card is signed before the voter presents the card to the election official.
Sources
- Iowa Code § 49.78 (Code 2026) Official · legis.iowa.gov
- Iowa Code § 49.81 (Code 2026) Official · legis.iowa.gov
- Iowa Code § 48A.10A (Code 2026) Official · legis.iowa.gov
- Iowa HF 2501 (2026), enrolled text Official · legis.iowa.gov
- Governor Reynolds signs bills, May 3, 2026 Official · governor.iowa.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Iowa Secretary of State
- Website
- sos.iowa.gov
How bordering states compare
- Illinois No ID document requiredIllinois does not require most voters to show ID. Election judges compare the voter's signature with the registration record.
- Minnesota No ID document requiredMinnesota voters who are already registered don't show ID. They sign the polling place roster.
- Missouri Photo ID requestedMissouri asks for photo ID. A voter without one casts a provisional ballot, which counts if it matches the signature on file.
- Nebraska Photo ID requestedNebraska requires photo ID, but voters who can't get one can sign a reasonable impediment form at the polls instead.
- South Dakota Photo ID requestedSouth Dakota asks voters for photo ID, but a voter without one can sign an identity affidavit and vote a regular ballot.
- Wisconsin Photo ID requiredWisconsin requires photo ID to vote; without it, the vote counts only if ID is shown by 4 p.m. the Friday after the election.