U.S. STATE · STATE ID CARD
Maryland State Identification Card Photo Requirements
Find out whether you need to make a photo for a state ID card, where the photo is taken, and what is known about renewing or replacing the card remotely.
Sources reviewed: October 18, 2026
Should you make a photo?
Do not prepare your own photo unless the agency or your transaction instructions specifically ask for one.
This page covers a state identification card. It does not automatically apply to driver licenses, learner permits, or every exception.
Issuing agency: Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration
Where the photo is taken
You apply for a Maryland ID card in person at an MVA branch office, where your photo is taken as part of the application.
Online or mail renewal and replacement
Eligible ID cards can be renewed online or at an MVA kiosk if your renewal notice says you are eligible, or by mail only if the MVA sends a renewal-by-mail notice. The renewal page does not say how the photo is handled for ID cards; a July 2021 MVA release, under a heading covering driver's licenses and identification cards, says a new in-branch photo is now required only once every 16 years.
Photo law and rules
A photo-specific statute or rule for this credential has not yet been summarized on this page.