IDs are not mandatory at either the State or Federal level in the USA.
The most common type of identification is a State driver's license, but there are also alternative non-driver license ID cards available. None of these IDs are mandatory, but are nearly required to live in modern society (open a bank account, drive a car, vote, etc).
Yea, but that's specifically the only one that isn't optional. Almost all other forms of ID are voluntary as long as you understand that voluntary means you accept not participating in some privileged activities (like driving a car on a road for a drivers license).
The US is actually insane about how little identification they require from residents and also not great about how expensive it can be to acquire certain forms of ID.
I believe the US has a national ID scheme, just not a mandatory one. You need to request an ID card (though the vast majority of people just use their driving license), but just like you need to proactively get your ID card issued and renewed in France.
Many people in the US have no official ID because there is no standard national ID. Instead, it's common to use things like driver's licenses (which not everyone has... since not everyone drives) or passports (which not everyone has... since you only need it to leave the country).
The US has no requirement to carry your ID. I'm not sure there's any base requirement to have ID.
You only need your driver's license if you're driving, and ID in general is only required for certain activities that directly require identification or use the ID to confirm other information (eg age when buying alcohol).
Pretty sure the US doesn't have an official federal-issued ID, and most of the time driving license works as such. And it seems this applies to the majority of Anglosphere countries.
Here in Poland we have a compulsory IDs, which for over 20 years now are plastic. Recently RFID tags and finger prints were added; there's also a standard biometric photo of face. All of this comes also with electronic and qualified electronic signature which can be used to verify our identity in government services or to sign the digital documents. And yes, we need to have it or the slowly accepted digital version when we want to vote in any elections.
Passports are a federal ID, but they’re not mandated in the same way that other countries like Estonia mandate national IDs.
SSNs? Sure, they’re (optionally) used as an identifier. But they’re primarily used in the financial world, along with your credit score. Most state and federal agencies won’t require an SSN for official business (again excepting taxes & payments). A hotel will accept a Global Entry card for check in. UPS will accept a non-driver’s license to pick up a package. You can vote with a student ID in some states.
And don’t forget people who are undocumented immigrants or on F-1 and J-1 visas who don’t even have a SSN, but still need to open US bank accounts, pay taxes, get US driver’s licenses, and vote in municipal elections.
None of it is mandatory - there are plenty of people in the US without any government provided identification and it costs money to acquire such an ID.
The only one you can't really dodge is a birth certificate.
Wait, what are the other options? How do they do identification without IDs in other countries? I heard that you can use driver’s license as an ID in the US, but isn’t it issued based on an actual ID? And not everyone can drive, no matter how auto-centric the US might be.
Many states will issue "non-driver ID cards" (examples below), which are typically cheaper than a drivers license, but which still involve the same level of proving who you are before you can get one (involving showing passport/birth certificate/bills/whatever)
Because these are relatively uncommon, they will lead to extra scrutiny and hassle in many situations (buying alcohol, showing ID at airport security, etc).
The US does not have federal level ID cards, although the federal government has used funding for state programs as a cudgel to make states comply with standards for how they verify who you are before issuing you an ID ("Real ID").
Most times people say ID is "required" is because they are lazy and don't want to go through the effort of confirming identity using other means. There are certainly things that do legally require ID like opening a bank account, but others just have a strong preference for ID such as flying which can be done without ID if you are committed to fighting through the difficulties.
I don't know if ID2020 is being proposed as compulsory, but one is not required to obtain a driver's license, or any other form of state issued ID, in the US. If asked to present ID by an officer of the law, merely giving your full name and birth date is sufficient.
States also offer ID cards that are not driver's licenses. Usually you apply using the same information, at the same locations and pay a lower fee than for a driver's license.
There is no legal requirement in the US to have a picture ID card, either. Unless you want to drive. Or, in an increasing number of states, vote. Or get on a plane without a ton of hassle. Or... well, you get the idea.
It is possible for something to be "not legally required" but still have a very high degree of adoption due to the inconvenience caused by not having it.
The most common type of identification is a State driver's license, but there are also alternative non-driver license ID cards available. None of these IDs are mandatory, but are nearly required to live in modern society (open a bank account, drive a car, vote, etc).
reply