Veterans can get their “veteran” designation on their driver’s license or state identification card. The veteran designation is a voluntary initiative that many veterans may helpful.
Thousands of businesses in Iowa and across the country offer special perks and discounts to veterans, including restaurants, hotels and stores. The veteran designation on a license or ID card allows Iowans to be easily identified as veterans, eliminating the need to carry official military papers for these purposes.
To be authorized for the veteran designation on your license or ID card, you must first present a copy of your DD 214 or applicable discharge document to your county Veterans Affairs office. That office will confirm your veteran status and complete the required Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) application form. Take the completed form with you to your driver’s license issuance location. The veteran designation will be added to your license or ID card when it is issued.
To expedite the authorization process, a veteran can bring a completed Iowa DOT application form to their county Veterans Affairs office, along with DD 214. The application form must be certified by the county VA or the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs.
If you are applying for a new license or ID, or are renewing a previous one, all usual fees apply. To find out what you’ll pay, go to www.iowadot.gov/mvd/ods/types.htm. If you are requesting a duplicate license or adding the veteran’s designation to your current license or ID, the fee is $10.
For more on getting the veterans designation, go to www.iowadot.gov/mvd/ods/veterans.html.
Fill out the necessary Iowa DOT paperwork at https://forms.iowadot.gov/FormsMgt/External/432035.pdf.
Find your County Veterans Office at https://va.iowa.gov/counties/index.html.