How to Obtain a Free Birth Certificate, State ID or Driver’s License in Virginia: Instructions and the Law
Starting on July 1, 2025, policy reform in Virginia will help youth experiencing homelessness obtain vital documents like birth certificates, identification cards, and driver’s licenses for FREE. This resource includes instructions on how to obtain these vital documents and cites applicable law.
Who Qualifies for the Fee Exemptions?
Virginia defines “homeless youth” as: A child or youth lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including unaccompanied youths not in the physical custody of a parent, who:
- Share housing with others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons;
- Live in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to the lack of adequate alternatives, or in emergency or transitional shelters, or are abandoned in hospitals;
- Reside in public or private places not intended for regular sleeping, such as cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar locations;
- Are migratory children, as defined by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
How Do I Get My Birth Certificate for Free in Virginia?
Go to Virginia’s Office of Vital Records website to apply for your birth certificate, and any other vital record, free of charge starting July 1, 2025.
How Do I Get My Driver’s License for Free in Virginia?
Go to Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles website to learn how to apply for a learner’s permit, driver’s license, or driver privilege card, free of charge starting July 1, 2025.
How Do I Get My ID for Free in Virginia?
Go to Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website to learn how to apply for an ID card or an ID privilege card or permits, free of charge starting July 1, 2025.
If you run into any trouble, here are the relevant laws.
Below is a list of relevant laws you can present to the vital statistics office for obtaining a birth certificate, or the DMV when applying for an ID or driver’s license:
- Fee waiver for birth certificate – § 32.1-272
- Fee waiver for identification card – § 46.2-345; 46.2-345.2; 46.2-345.3
- Fee waiver for driver’s licenses – § 46.2-328.3; 46.2-332; 46.2-333.1; 46.2-335
Watch how Delegate Adele McClure turned advocacy into action.
Delegate Adele McClure, representing Arlington’s Second House District in Virginia, discusses her motivation behind introducing and championing HB 1617, a bill aimed at breaking down barriers for youth experiencing homelessness through free access to vital identification documents.
She highlights the impact of the bill, the urgent need for such legislation, and the challenges she faced, including technicalities and budget concerns. Delegate McClure also emphasizes the importance of bipartisan support, the crucial role SchoolHouse Connection played in supporting her policy work, and offers advice for other advocates working to address youth homelessness in their own states.
