OLYMPIA — It will be easier for young people 16-18 years of age to get a Washington identification card without a parent’s or guardian’s signature under revisions to ID laws that took effect Jan. 1. 

The changes were made at the request of the Washington Department of Licensing, said Christine Anthony, WDL digital communications manager.  

“(The revised law) concerns helping people from underserved communities, including at-risk or under-resourced minors and low-income residents, to access identity documents like ID cards,” Anthony said via email. 

The revised law changes some of the rules governing who can help a minor obtain a driver’s license or identification card. Department of Licensing officials explained the reasoning behind the request in a report submitted to the Washington Legislature last year. 

The report said Washington has an estimated 13,000-15,000 “unaccompanied” young people who are experiencing homelessness. Other young people – more than 40,000 according to the report – live with relatives. Most of those arrangements are informal, the report said. 

But teens 16-18 years of age who wanted to get a driver’s license needed authorization from a parent, legal guardian or employer. That wasn’t always possible, especially for homeless teens, the report said. 

The revised law allows a “responsible adult” to sign for teens trying to get a driver’s license or other identification. That includes people with family or caretaker relationships with teens, or mental health professionals or government employees working with them. 

Other rules still apply. Teens must meet the criteria to have a license, which includes driver education.  

For young people who can’t get a driver’s license but need identification, Washington does provide an ID card. It’s $55 for six years. 

“(Department of Licensing) staff regularly hear that the cost of an ID card can be prohibitively expensive,” the report said.  

Washington does offer an at-cost ID card, which is $5, to qualifying residents. People who are receiving support through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program are eligible. So are participants in the “Women, Infants, Children” program, and the revised law clarifies that. 

The law authorizes the Department of Licensing to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of offering reduced-fee ID cards, with the report due by December. The department will be required to evaluate current use, check parameters for current eligibility, determine how much it would cost and its impact on revenue, and recommend ways to improve access.