Virginia: Do you need an ID to vote?
Virginia asks for ID from a list that includes non-photo documents; voters without one may sign a statement and vote.
Accepted IDs include voter confirmation documents, a Virginia driver's license, a U.S. passport, and student or employer IDs. A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document with the voter's name and address also counts. A voter with none can sign an ID Confirmation Statement, under felony penalties for false statements, and vote. A voter who neither shows ID nor signs is offered a provisional ballot and has until noon on the Friday after the election to deliver ID or sign the statement. The same rules apply to early in-person voting.
Conditions
- An accepted ID (photo or non-photo), or a signed ID Confirmation Statement
What the law says
Except as provided in subsection E, any voter who does not show one of the forms of identification specified in this subsection shall be allowed to vote after signing a statement, subject to felony penalties for false statements pursuant to § 24.2-1016, that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. A voter who does not show one of the forms of identification specified in this subsection and does not sign this statement shall be offered a provisional ballot under the provisions of § 24.2-653.
Sources
- Va. Code § 24.2-643 Official · law.lis.virginia.gov
- Virginia Department of Elections, Voting on Election Day Official · elections.virginia.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Virginia Department of Elections
- Phone
- 800-552-9745
- Website
- elections.virginia.gov
How bordering states compare
- Kentucky Photo ID requestedKentucky asks for photo ID. A voter without one can sign an impediment affirmation at the polls, show another ID, and vote normally.
- Maryland No ID document requiredMaryland election judges confirm identity by asking for the voter's birth month and day and checking their address. Most voters show no ID.
- North Carolina Photo ID requestedNorth Carolina asks for photo ID, but a voter without one can sign an exception form at the polls and have the ballot counted.
- Tennessee Photo ID requiredTennessee requires a government photo ID to vote in person; without one, the vote counts only if ID is shown within two business days.
- West Virginia Photo ID requestedWest Virginia asks for photo ID since 2025, but voters without one can be vouched for or vote provisionally with signature matching.