New City of Milwaukee ID card now available to the public

Members of the Milwaukee Common Council will host a news conference at City Hall on Friday, February 10 to let city residents know how they can apply for the city’s municipal identification (ID) card.

The news conference on Friday will start at 10:00 a.m. and will be held in the first floor rotunda at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St. Participants will include Alderman José G. Pérez, Alderman Khalif J. Rainey and Alderman Cavalier Johnson.

On July 26, 2016, the Milwaukee Common Council passed an ordinance relating to the creation and issuance of a municipal identification (ID) card for city residents ONLY. Anyone living in the City of Milwaukee may be eligible to receive an ID.

Key facts about the City of Milwaukee Municipal ID:

• To get a municipal ID, an applicant must FIRST call and set up an appointment with the License Division at 414-286-2238
• Once issued, the ID CANNOT be used to vote in Wisconsin
• Applicant must be 14 years or older to apply; minors must be accompanied by a legal guardian
• Information provided on the ID application may be released in response to a public records request
• The fee for the ID is $10; the replacement fee is $5
• The ID will expire in 5 years
• Holder must notify the city License Division within 10 days if your address changes or if your ID was lost or stolen

Alderman Pérez said the License Division will process, print, and mail new IDs to applicants within two weeks of application. “A valid ID card is something that many people may take for granted, but for others, getting an ID card can be a life-enhancing moment, a real game-changer,” he said.

“The City of Milwaukee ID card is something I would encourage all residents to consider and apply for,” Alderman Pérez said. More information is available online at Milwaukee.gov/ID.

Before an application can be processed, individuals will need to provide proof of identity and proof of City of Milwaukee residency. In general, acceptable forms of documentation are as follows:

An applicant may submit one of the following (The document must display photograph and date of birth):

• U.S. or Foreign Passport
• U.S. State Driver’s License
• U.S. State or Federal ID card
• Consular Identification (CID)
• U.S. Permanent Resident (Green) Card

Or an applicant may submit any two of the following (One document must display photograph and date of birth):

• U.S. or Foreign Birth Certificate
• Social Security Card
• National ID Card
• Foreign Driver’s License
• Foreign Military ID
• Visa
• Student ID Card
• U.S. Individual Taxpayer ID Number

To begin the process of getting a municipal ID, each applicant must schedule an appointment by calling the License Division at 414-286-2238. The application appointment must take place in person at City Hall (200 E. Wells St., Room 105). When calling to set up the appointment, applicants are strongly advised to indicate if translation or other assistance is needed.

Alderman Rainey said he believes the municipal ID card can improve the lives of people who will be able to use the card to help themselves and their loved ones. “Not only will the ID help add an increased sense of membership in the community among residents, but it can be the key to access public and private services,” he said.

Alderman Johnson said the city’s role of providing services and information – coupled with the vast diversity of the city’s population – makes the municipal ID a valuable “win-win-win” for residents.

“The 2^nd Aldermanic District I represent is very diverse and home to city’s largest Hmong population,” Alderman Johnson said. “Making sure we are connecting the Hmong community and other immigrant groups to city services – and especially to this new form of identification – is a very high priority for me.”

Alderman Pérez said additional uses for the municipal ID will be explored as the program is implemented. He said anyone looking to proactively support the program or to suggest a potential partnership should contact their Common Council member.

News release from Alds. Jose G. Perez, Cavalier Johnson and Khalif J. Rainey

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.