# Photo ID vs Driver's License **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 6, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photo-id-vs-drivers-license/471483 "2008-11-06T17:54:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photo-id-vs-drivers-license/471483/1 "2008-11-06T17:54:33Z")
My friend got a DUI and doesn’t have his driver’s license at the moment. He also doesn’t have a job, and his lack of photo ID is keeping him from applying for some positions (for example, the local temp agency requires one). Yes, he is a real winner… He hasn’t gone to trial yet and there is a faint possibility that he will be acquitted and get his license back after his trial date in a few weeks. Someone told him that he can’t have a state-issued photo ID and a valid driver’s license at the same time, so if he gets the ID now it “invalidates” his license, and he’ll have to get a new license and ditch the photo ID if/when he gets it back. He’s not the most motivated person, and doesn’t have too much money at the moment, so if this is true I can’t see him being gung-ho about getting the ID. I can’t seem to find any info about photo IDs in Ohio online. When I search there’s a lot of chaff about voting rights and photo IDs but I can’t find a real fact sheet. Does anyone know what the deal is with photo IDs? Will it be worth it for him to get one before his trial in a couple weeks? Also, is it going to be a complete pain to get the ID since he doesn’t have an ID to begin with? I assume he’ll need a birth certificate and SSN card…let’s hope he has those… For anyone who’s skimming - this is in Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photo-id-vs-drivers-license/471483/2 "2008-11-06T18:07:49Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I can’t seem to find any info about photo IDs in Ohio online. When I search there’s a lot of chaff about voting rights and photo IDs but I can’t find a real fact sheet. [I found this.](http://www.bmv.ohio.gov/driver_license/id_card.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photo-id-vs-drivers-license/471483/3 "2008-11-07T02:50:41Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Someone told him that he can’t have a state-issued photo ID and a valid driver’s license at the same time, so if he gets the ID now it “invalidates” his license, and he’ll have to get a new license and ditch the photo ID if/when he gets it back. That doesn’t sound right at all. One is purely identification, the other authorizes the person to operate a motor vehicle. Besides, when I got my DUI back in 1990, they didn’t confiscate my actual physical drivers license, so it was no problem. ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photo-id-vs-drivers-license/471483/4 "2008-11-07T04:14:43Z")
> [@EJsGirl](#): > > That doesn’t sound right at all. One is purely identification, the other authorizes the person to operate a motor vehicle. That’s true, but it’s the case in most situations I’ve seen. This is the case in Ohio. From the link: > [@](#): > > In Ohio, you can not hold an Ohio driver license and Identification Card at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photo-id-vs-drivers-license/471483/5 "2008-11-07T04:24:26Z")
Tell him to get a passport. It trumps all other forms of ID and is definitive for all government forms that you need to fill out to get a job. I would guess that he doesn’t have much money but you can get one in a few weeks the standard way. If it is imperative that you need a Passport right away, there are agencies that you can pay several hundred dollars to get one within 48 hours. I live in the Boston area and got one expedited for something like an additional $110 dollars for overnight processing and the whole process was done in less than 24 hours although it took some effort.