Veteran ID Cards: Which Ones You Need and How to Get Them

There are several veteran ID cards and they are not interchangeable. Here is what the VIC, VHIC, DMV designation, and uniformed services ID each prove, who qualifies, and how to get them.

There is no single "veteran ID card." There are several, they are issued by different agencies, and each proves something different. Carrying the wrong one to the wrong counter is the most common way veterans discover the distinction.

This guide covers the main cards, what each is actually for, who qualifies, and how to get it — including one privilege most veterans do not realize their VA health card already unlocks.

At a glance

The Veteran ID Card (VIC)

The VIC is a photo ID from the VA that proves veteran status without carrying your DD-214. Its purpose is veteran discounts at restaurants, hotels, stores, and other businesses.

Since September 2022 it has been digital. You apply on VA.gov, and if approved the VA emails you the card — there is no plastic card in the mail, and you check application status by signing in through AccessVA. A separate feature in the VA Health and Benefits mobile app, called Proof of Veteran Status, does a similar job on your phone, but it is not the VIC itself.

To qualify you must have served on active duty, in the Reserves, or in the National Guard, and received an honorable or general (under honorable conditions) discharge. Other than honorable, bad conduct, and dishonorable discharges do not qualify. The application asks for your Social Security number, a scanned discharge document (DD-214, DD-256, DD-257, PHS-1867, or NGB-22), a copy of a current government-issued photo ID, and a color photo from the shoulders up.

Know its limits before you rely on it. The VIC does not prove eligibility for any federal benefit, does not get you onto a military installation, does not work at commissaries or exchanges, is not valid ID at the airport, and is not used to check in at a VA hospital.

The Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

If you are enrolled in VA health care, the VHIC is the photo card you use to check in for VA medical appointments. You must be enrolled first — the card follows enrollment, not the other way around.

You can request it in person through the enrollment coordinator at your nearest VA medical center, who will take your photo, or online through AccessVA by uploading a color photo and a copy of your current ID. Processing typically takes 7 to 14 days in the United States.

The VHIC also works for veteran discounts at many businesses, which makes it the more versatile card of the two for veterans who use VA health care. And it does one more thing that surprises people.

The commissary and exchange rule most veterans miss

Since January 1, 2020, commissary, exchange, and MWR retail privileges have been open to a far wider group than military retirees. Under the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018, veterans with a service-connected disability rating — including ratings from 0% through 90% — plus Purple Heart recipients and former prisoners of war can shop at commissaries and exchanges. Veterans rated 100% service-connected and Medal of Honor recipients already had access.

The credential is the VHIC. To use it for installation access it has to display "SERVICE CONNECTED," "PURPLE HEART," or "FORMER POW" on the front, below the photo. Veterans rated 0% who are not eligible for a VHIC on income grounds can use VA Health Eligibility Center Form H623A along with a REAL ID-compliant photo ID.

There are limits. The privilege does not include fitness centers or gyms, does not include programs funded primarily by appropriations, excludes child development programs, and overseas access is subject to host-nation law. Since November 2024 installation access enrollment uses electronic eligibility verification, but veterans without a VHIC still need a hard-copy letter for the stores themselves, because retail vendors cannot verify electronically.

If you have a service-connected rating of any level and have never used a commissary since separating, this is worth acting on.

A "Veteran" designation on your driver's license

All 50 states and Puerto Rico offer a veteran designation printed on state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards. It is the most convenient everyday proof of status — it is already in your wallet.

You get it through your state DMV, generally by bringing your DD-214 or other discharge documentation when you apply for or renew your license. Requirements and the appearance of the marker vary by state, and some states charge a small fee.

The uniformed services ID (Next Generation USID)

This is the Department of Defense card, and it is a different animal from the VA cards. It replaced the legacy paper uniformed services ID card in a rollout that ran from July 2020 through December 2020; legacy cards remain valid until they expire.

It comes in two flavors: a Sponsor Identification and Privilege Card and a Dependent Identification and Privilege Card. Eligible sponsors include members entitled to retired pay, members on the temporary and permanent disability retired lists, Medal of Honor recipients, and veterans rated 100% service-connected disabled.

One correction worth stating plainly, because it circulates widely in the other direction: a USID issued to a 100% service-connected disabled veteran conveys commissary, exchange, and MWR privileges — not TRICARE and not military health system direct care. Under DoD policy, neither 100% disabled veterans nor their dependents receive TRICARE benefits on the basis of that status. TRICARE flows from retired status, not from a VA rating. Medal of Honor recipients are the exception that does include direct care at military treatment facilities.

You get the card at a RAPIDS site. Appointments are made through ID Card Office Online at idco.dmdc.osd.mil — the old RAPIDS Appointment Scheduler was retired in 2020, so a search result pointing you there is out of date. Sponsors bring two original forms of ID, at least one a valid government-issued photo ID. Dependents also need a completed DD Form 1172-2.

Your DD-214

Strictly speaking the DD-214 is not an ID card, but it is the document everything else is built on. You need it to apply for the VIC, to get the DMV designation, and for most state and federal veteran benefits. Keep secure digital and physical copies, and store one somewhere that is not your house.

If you have lost it, the request path depends on when you separated. For recent separations, milConnect can provide it directly: Air Force after October 1, 2004, Army after October 1, 2002, Marine Corps after January 1, 1999, and Navy after January 1, 1995. For older discharges, request it from the National Archives' National Personnel Records Center through eVetRecs, the online request system, which now requires identity verification through ID.me. Mail and fax requests use Standard Form 180.

Which ones do you actually need?

Match the card to the goal. For veteran discounts without carrying your DD-214, get the VIC. If you use VA health care, you need the VHIC — and it doubles as your commissary and exchange credential if you have a service-connected rating. For a veteran marker on your everyday ID, ask your DMV. For base access, TRICARE, and full military privileges as a retiree, that is the DoD uniformed services ID. And you need your DD-214 to apply for nearly all of it.

Most veterans end up with a practical combination: the DMV designation for daily use, the VHIC if they use VA care, and the VIC as a backup for businesses that want to see a federal card.

The bottom line

"Veteran ID" is a small family of cards, not one card. Match each to what you are trying to do, keep your DD-214 secured and duplicated, and check whether your VHIC already carries the service-connected marking — that one line on the front of the card is worth more than most veterans realize.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Veteran ID Card (VIC) physical or digital?

Digital. Since September 2022 the VA no longer mails plastic Veteran ID Cards. You apply on VA.gov and, if approved, the VA emails you the card. Physical cards issued before that date remain usable. The VA Health and Benefits mobile app has a separate Proof of Veteran Status feature, which is not the VIC itself.

Does the Veteran ID Card get me onto a base or TRICARE?

No. The VIC only proves veteran status for discounts at participating businesses. It does not prove eligibility for federal benefits, does not grant installation access, is not valid at commissaries or exchanges, is not accepted as airport ID, and is not used to check in at a VA hospital.

Who qualifies for a VIC?

You qualify if you served on active duty, in the Reserves, or in the National Guard and received an honorable or general (under honorable conditions) discharge. Other than honorable, bad conduct, and dishonorable discharges do not qualify. You apply on VA.gov with a scanned discharge document, a current government-issued photo ID, and a color photo from the shoulders up.

Can I shop at the commissary with a VA disability rating?

Yes. Since January 1, 2020, veterans with a service-connected rating from 0% through 100%, plus Purple Heart recipients and former POWs, can use commissaries, exchanges, and MWR retail facilities. Your credential is the Veteran Health Identification Card, which must show SERVICE CONNECTED, PURPLE HEART, or FORMER POW on the front. The privilege excludes fitness centers and child development programs.

Do 100% disabled veterans get TRICARE with a uniformed services ID?

No. A uniformed services ID issued on the basis of a 100% service-connected rating conveys commissary, exchange, and MWR privileges — not TRICARE and not direct care in military treatment facilities. TRICARE eligibility flows from retired or active-duty status, not from a VA disability rating. Medal of Honor recipients are the exception and do receive direct care.

How do I get a \'Veteran\' designation on my driver's license?

Bring your DD-214 or other discharge documentation to your state DMV when you apply for or renew your license. All 50 states and Puerto Rico offer the designation, but the exact requirements, appearance, and any fee vary by state.

How do I replace a lost DD-214?

If you separated recently, milConnect can provide it directly — Air Force after October 2004, Army after October 2002, Marine Corps after January 1999, Navy after January 1995. For older discharges, request a copy from the National Archives' National Personnel Records Center through eVetRecs, which now requires identity verification through ID.me, or by mail using Standard Form 180.