A 13-year-old can get a few different forms of government-issued identification: a state photo ID card from the motor vehicle agency, a U.S. passport book or passport card, and, in some families, a military dependent ID or a tribal ID. For most parents looking at IDs for 13 year olds, the state photo ID card is the practical starting point because it is cheap, works for everyday situations, and every state issues one. A passport is the stronger document and the only one that works for international flights.
State Photo ID Card
Every state’s motor vehicle agency issues a non-driver photo ID card, and most states set no minimum age. The card looks like a driver’s license, carries the state seal, and works as government-issued photo identification for banking, travel check-in, school enrollment, and age verification. Your 13-year-old applies the same way an adult does, with a parent or legal guardian handling consent.
What to Bring
Requirements vary by state, but the core documents are consistent:
- Proof of identity, usually an original or certified birth certificate. A valid U.S. passport also works.
- Proof of the Social Security number: the original Social Security card, a W-2, or an SSA-1099 showing the full number.
- Proof of residency. Since a 13-year-old is unlikely to have utility bills in their name, a parent’s documents showing the home address typically satisfy this.
- Parental consent. A parent or legal guardian must appear in person with a valid photo ID. Many states also require a signed consent form, available on the agency’s website.
Fees and Timing
Fees for a minor’s ID card generally fall between $10 and $40, and a handful of states issue them free to minors. The application has to be submitted in person so the agency can take the photo. Most states mail the finished card within two to four weeks.
When you apply, you can usually choose between a standard ID and a REAL ID-compliant version. The REAL ID version needs additional documentation, typically a second proof of residency, and carries a gold star marking. Minors under 18 don’t need identification for domestic flights, but choosing the REAL ID version now means your child will already have a compliant card when they turn 18.
U.S. Passport
A U.S. passport proves both identity and citizenship, and it is the only document that lets your child fly internationally. U.S. citizens of all ages, including infants, need their own passport to board an international flight.1U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. Citizens – Documents Needed to Enter the United States and/or to Travel Internationally You have two options.
Passport Book vs. Passport Card
The passport book is the full-sized booklet that works everywhere, including international air travel. The passport card is wallet-sized, cheaper, and valid only for land and sea crossings to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and certain Caribbean countries.2U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport Card The card cannot be used to fly internationally. For a 13-year-old, the fees are:3U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
- Passport book: $100 application fee plus $35 acceptance facility fee, totaling $135.
- Passport card: $15 application fee plus $35 acceptance facility fee, totaling $50.
- Both together: $115 application fee plus $35 acceptance facility fee, totaling $150.
A passport issued to anyone under 16 is valid for five years, not ten.4U.S. Department of State. After You Get Your New Passport A passport issued now will expire around age 18.
How to Apply
Children under 16 must apply in person at a passport acceptance facility, often a post office or county clerk’s office. Your child needs to be present. Fill out Form DS-11 beforehand but do not sign it; the acceptance agent needs to witness the signature.5United States Department of State. DS-11 – Application for a New Passport Bring:
- Evidence of U.S. citizenship. An original or certified birth certificate is the most common proof; a previous U.S. passport or Consular Report of Birth Abroad also works.
- Proof of parental relationship, usually satisfied by the birth certificate listing the parents’ names.
- A recent color passport photo meeting State Department size and background specifications. Many pharmacies and shipping stores take these.
Both Parents Must Consent
This is where minor passport applications get complicated. Both legal parents or guardians must either appear in person at the acceptance facility or provide documented consent. If one parent cannot attend, that parent completes Form DS-3053, a notarized Statement of Consent, and includes a photocopy of the front and back of their government-issued photo ID. The notarized consent is valid for 90 days.6U.S. Department of State. DS-3053 – Statement of Consent
If the second parent is deceased, unreachable, or you have sole legal custody, you can apply without their consent by providing supporting evidence such as a death certificate, a court order granting sole custody, or a written statement explaining why the other parent cannot be contacted.
Processing Times
Routine processing takes four to six weeks. Expedited processing takes two to three weeks and costs an additional $60.7U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports Those timeframes start when the passport agency receives your application and don’t include mailing time in either direction, which can add several weeks. If you have international travel booked within 14 days, you may be able to get an urgent appointment at a passport agency.
Military Dependent, Tribal, and School IDs
If a parent serves in the armed forces, a 13-year-old qualifies for a Uniformed Services ID card as a military dependent. The child must first be enrolled in DEERS (the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System), which requires a completed DD Form 1172-2 signed by the service member sponsor and the child’s birth certificate.8CAC.mil. DoD Identity and Eligibility Documentation Requirements The card provides access to military installations, commissaries, and military medical facilities, and it counts as valid government-issued identification in most civilian settings.
Children who are members of a federally recognized Native American tribe can obtain a tribal membership document. The TSA accepts tribal IDs from federally recognized tribes at airport checkpoints.9Transportation Security Administration. Tribal and Indigenous
Many middle schools issue photo ID cards to students. A school ID won’t get your child through airport security or into a bank account, but it works for age verification at events, library systems, and local recreation programs. A school photo ID also qualifies as a List B identity document for federal employment verification, which becomes relevant once your child is old enough to work.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9 Acceptable Documents
The Documents Behind Every ID
The birth certificate and Social Security card are not photo IDs, but they are the foundation for every ID application above. Every state ID, passport, and eventually driver’s license application starts with those two documents.
If your child’s birth certificate is lost or damaged, order a certified replacement through the vital records office in the state where your child was born. Fees and processing times vary. The replacement must be a certified copy with an official seal; commemorative hospital certificates issued at birth are not accepted as legal proof of identity.
Replacement Social Security cards are free. To get one for your child, you provide proof of your own identity (a driver’s license or passport), proof of the child’s identity, evidence of your relationship to the child, and proof of the child’s U.S. citizenship if it hasn’t been previously established with the SSA.11Social Security Administration. What Documents Are Required to Request a Replacement Social Security Card Because most children don’t have primary photo ID, the SSA accepts secondary identification showing the child’s name and date of birth or parents’ names, preferably with a photo. Most applications can begin online through ssa.gov.
When a 13-Year-Old Actually Needs ID
Domestic Flights
TSA does not require children under 18 to show identification for domestic flights.12Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint Your 13-year-old can pass through the security checkpoint without any ID as long as they are traveling with an adult. One exception: unaccompanied minors who have TSA PreCheck must show acceptable ID to receive expedited screening.13Transportation Security Administration. Do Minors Need Identification to Fly Within the U.S. Individual airlines may have their own policies for young travelers, especially unaccompanied minors, so a birth certificate or school ID in your child’s carry-on can smooth over any questions at the gate.
Opening a Bank Account
Many 13-year-olds open their first savings account. If a parent opens the account on the child’s behalf, the bank typically verifies the parent’s identity. If the child is a co-owner, the bank asks for the child’s name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number. In practice, most banks ask for the child’s birth certificate or Social Security card along with a parent’s government-issued photo ID. Having a state-issued ID card for your child speeds this up and signals that identity has already been verified by a government agency.
Employment
Federal law generally sets 14 as the minimum working age for most jobs, so a 13-year-old typically isn’t employed yet. When your child does start working, the employer completes a Form I-9 to verify identity and work authorization. Minors who lack standard photo ID get some flexibility: a school record, report card, or clinic record is acceptable as proof of identity for employees under 18.10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-9 Acceptable Documents If the minor still can’t produce any List B document, a parent or legal guardian can establish the child’s identity by signing Section 1 of the form and writing “minor under age 18” in the signature field.14U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Minors Employers using E-Verify need a List B document with a photograph, which is when a state ID card or school photo ID becomes essential.
Which ID to Get First
If your 13-year-old has no government-issued photo ID yet, start with a state ID card. It is the cheapest, the fastest to obtain, and it covers the widest range of everyday situations. A passport is worth getting if international travel is possible in the next few years; applying well in advance avoids rush processing fees. If your child already has a passport, a state ID card is still useful as a backup and a more practical document to carry, since passports are expensive to replace if lost.
Whatever you decide, get the birth certificate and Social Security card in order first. Every other ID application starts with those two documents, and discovering they are missing on the day you planned to visit the DMV delays the whole process by weeks.