Governor Bob McDonnell today launched the new Virginia Veterans ID Card available from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in partnership with the Department of Veterans Services (DVS). The card will help thousands of Virginia veterans identify themselves as veterans and obtain retail and restaurant discounts around the state.
Currently, retired military and veterans with a service-connected disability rating from the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs are issued ID cards. These men and women comprise just a fraction of the state’s veteran population. The remainder of Virginia’s 823,000 veterans have no way to show veteran status other than by presenting their discharge documents. The new Virginia Veterans ID Card is convenient and fits in a wallet, cutting down on Veterans having to carry the DD 214 military discharge document as identification.
Veterans may apply for the cards in person at any DMV customer service center, DMV 2 Go mobile office, or online at
www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/citizen/id/vet_id.asp. Each applicant needs to present an unexpired Virginia driver’s license or DMV-issued ID card, the veterans ID card application, his or her DD214, DD 256 or WD AGO document, and $10. The card, which does not expire, will be mailed to the veteran and should arrive within a week. In the meantime, the temporary veterans ID card received at the time of the in-person application can be used as proof of veteran status.