The Mercer County Clerk’s Office provides a multitude of ID card services, specifically Veteran ID (Vet ID), Goldstar ID, and Resident ID cards, from Dec. 7 to 18. Veterans ID cards will be free of charge in honor of Pearl Harbor Day.
In fact, the County Clerk’s Office offers FREE Veteran ID cards four times a year to honor holidays and our U.S. soldiers: Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day week and Pearl Harbor Day. If for any reason you are not able to make it during any of these periods set forth above, the cost for a Vet ID is only $10, and the card is valid for 10 years.
The Veteran ID is a form of photo ID you can use to demonstrate that you served in the U.S. Military. Some of the benefits of having this card may be certain discounts offered to veterans at local stores, businesses, and restaurants. This card allows a veteran the ability to avoid carrying around military discharge papers or sharing sensitive personal information to prove veteran status.
For anyone interested in getting a Vet ID, or any of the other IDs we provide, we encourage you to make an appointment with our County Clerk’s Office ID Department by calling 609-278-7108 or visiting our website atwww.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk. FREEVeteran ID cards four times a year to honor holidays and our U.S. soldiers:Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day week and Pearl Harbor Day.
To acquire a Vet ID card, you need to bring the following: DD214: Certificate of Release andoneof the following four forms of identification:(1)A non-expired driver license.(2)Proof of Voter Registration Status(3)Residential proof that shows you own or rent a home in Mercer County/copy of deed, or copy of your lease with your address, name and current date(4)A family member who you live with that has a current NJ driver’s license who is willing to sign for you as a witness.
Our ID department also issuesGold Star IDs, offered to Gold Star Parents who have lost a son or daughter in military combat. This ID designates the parent status and provides free access to New Jersey state parks, forests and beaches, and to the New Jersey State Museum. To apply for this ID, appropriate documentation is required, which includes:(1)a Federal DD 1300 Report of Casualty;(2)proof of the applicant’s relationship to the deceased. A bill has been cleared through committee allowing relatives of military members who died during active duty to qualify for Gold Star identification cards under a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Ron Dancer and passed by the Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. The bill (A1410) expands the Gold Star parent identification card program to spouses, domestic partners or civil union partners, and children, allowing more relatives to receive discounts and other military family courtesies. As is true for parents currently, the bill ensures children may be related by adoption. There is current legislation pending to add additional family members to the list of those eligible for a gold star ID; however, it has not been passed to date.
Lastly, our ID department also offers Residential/County IDs for residents in Mercer County. These IDs are not accepted for Federal ID purposes. However, they are useful for providing proof of residency, or to prove identity in case of an emergency. You can present this card in a variety of places, from clinics to doctor’s offices, to public libraries and public schools. There is a fee to obtain this card. If you are interested in applying, all you need to do is schedule an appointment with our ID Department, via phone or through our website set forth above, and bring along the following documentation: (1) proof of citizenship, such as a valid birth certificate (with a raised seal), naturalization certificate or valid resident alien card; (2) proof of County residency, such as a valid NJ driver’s license, voter registration or a lease agreement.