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SB1209 • 2026

nonoperating identification; fees; homeless exemption

SB1209 - nonoperating identification; fees; homeless exemption

Children
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Shawnna Bolick
Last action
2026-03-16
Official status
House second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about the process of issuing these licenses, only that it expands exemptions and validity periods.

Nonoperating Identification License Fees; Homeless Exemption

This bill changes rules about nonoperating identification licenses, making them free and extending their validity period for certain individuals without a permanent address.

What This Bill Does

  • Expands the list of people who are exempt from fees when applying for a nonoperating identification license if they do not have a residence address or live in a shelter that provides services to the homeless.
  • Makes nonoperating identification licenses valid for eight years, unless someone gets a driver's license before then.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People without permanent addresses or living in shelters
  • The Arizona Department of Transportation

Terms To Know

nonoperating identification license
A type of ID card issued by the state for people who do not have a driver's license.
Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT)
The agency responsible for issuing nonoperating identification licenses in Arizona.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify the exact date when these changes will take effect.
  • Does not mention any financial impact on the state budget.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Plain English: Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO S.B.

  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO S.B.
  • 1209 (Reference to Senate engrossed bill) The bill as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows: 1 Section 1.
  • Section 28-3165, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to 2 read: 3 28-3165.
  • Nonoperating identification license; immunity; 4 rules; emancipated minors 5 A.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Plain English: Fifty-seventh Legislature Transportation & Infrastructure Second Regular Session S.B.

  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Transportation & Infrastructure Second Regular Session S.B.
  • 1209 PROPOSED HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO S.B.
  • 1209 (Reference to Senate engrossed bill) The bill as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows: 1 Section 1.
  • Section 28-3165, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to 2 read: 3 28-3165.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-16 House

    House second read

  2. 2026-03-11 House

    House Rules: None

  3. 2026-03-11 House

    House Transportation & Infrastructure: DPA

  4. 2026-03-11 House

    House first read

  5. 2026-03-05 House

    Transmitted to House

  6. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Senate third read passed

  7. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Senate minority caucus

  8. 2026-02-03 Senate

    Senate majority caucus

  9. 2026-02-02 Senate

    Senate consent calendar

  10. 2026-01-21 Senate

    Senate second read

  11. 2026-01-20 Senate

    Senate Rules: PFC

  12. 2026-01-20 Senate

    Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology: DP

  13. 2026-01-20 Senate

    Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1209 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1209

nonoperating
identification; fees; homeless exemption

Purpose

Expands the list of persons who are exempt from the nonoperating
identification license fees and establishes an expiration date of eight years,
except as otherwise prescribed, for nonoperating identification licenses issued
after the general effective date.

Background

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) must issue a nonoperating
identification license on receipt of an application from a person who does not
have a valid driver license or whose driving privilege is suspended. The
application must contain the person's distinguishing number as assigned to the
licensee, full legal name, date of birth, residence address, a brief
description of the licensee and either a facsimile of the licensee's signature
or a space on which the licensee must sign with pen and ink. Certain persons
are exempt from the fees that ADOT must establish for issuing nonoperating
identification licenses, including a: 1) person who is at least 65 years old;
2) person who receives public monies as an individual with a disability;

3) veteran who does not have a residence address or whose residence address is
the address of a shelter that provides services to the homeless; and 4) child
who is in the custody of the Department of Child Safety.

A nonoperating identification license that is issued to a person whose
driving privilege is suspended is valid only up to 180 days from the date of
issuance. Additionally, a person must surrender a nonoperating identification
license to ADOT upon issuance of a driver license to that person (
A.R.S.
� 28-3165
).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact
to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.

Expands
the list of persons exempt from the nonoperating identification license fees to
include any person:

a)

who does not have a residence address; or

b)

whose residence address is the address of a shelter that provides
services to the homeless.

2.

Specifies
that a nonoperating identification license that is issued by ADOT after the
general effective date is valid for eight years, except as prescribed for a
person with a nonoperating identification license who is issued a driver
license.

3.

Makes
conforming changes.

4.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

January 23, 2026

LMM/KS/ci

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB1209 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

nonoperating
identification; fees; homeless exemption

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1209

AN
ACT

amending section 28-3165, Arizona Revised
Statutes; relating to the department of transportation.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 28-3165, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
28-3165.

Nonoperating identification license; immunity; rules; emancipated
minors

A. On receipt of an application from a person who
does not have a valid driver license issued by this state or whose driving
privilege is suspended, the department shall issue a nonoperating
identification license that contains a distinguishing number assigned to the
licensee, the full legal name, the date of birth, the residence address and a
brief description of the licensee and either a facsimile of the signature of
the licensee or a space on which the licensee is required to write the licensee's
usual signature with pen and ink. A nonoperating identification
license that is issued to a person whose driving privilege is suspended shall
not be valid for more than one hundred eighty days from the date of issuance.

B. On request of an applicant:

1. The department shall allow the applicant to
provide on the nonoperating identification license a post office box address
that is regularly used by the applicant.

2. If the applicant submits satisfactory proof to
the department that the applicant is a veteran, the department shall allow a
distinguishing mark to appear on the nonoperating identification license that
identifies that person as a veteran.

3. If the applicant elects to show and submits
satisfactory proof to the department that the applicant is an enrolled member
of a federally recognized Indian tribe located in this state, the department
shall allow a distinguishing mark to appear on the nonoperating identification
license that identifies the applicant as a native American. The
distinguishing mark may not identify a specific Indian tribe or other specific
personal information that is submitted on the documents that provide
satisfactory proof that the person is an enrolled member of a federally
recognized Indian tribe located in this state. Documents that
provide satisfactory proof that the person is an enrolled member of a federally
recognized Indian tribe located in this state include:

(a) An enhanced tribal card.

(b) A tribal identification card.

(c) A tribal certificate of Indian blood.

(d) A tribal or bureau of Indian affairs affidavit
of birth.

C. A person who is issued a license pursuant to this
section shall use it only for identification purposes of the licensee.� The
nonoperating identification license does not grant authority to operate a motor
vehicle in this state. The department shall clearly label the
nonoperating identification license "for identification only, not for
operation of a motor vehicle".

D. On issuance of a driver license, the holder of a
nonoperating identification license shall surrender the nonoperating
identification license to the department, and the department shall not refund
any fee paid for the issuance of the nonoperating identification license.

E. A nonoperating identification license shall
contain the photograph of the licensee. When issuing a nonoperating
identification license, the department shall use a process that prohibits as
nearly as possible the ability to superimpose a photograph on the license
without ready detection. The department shall process nonoperating
identification licenses and photo attachments in color.

F. On application, an applicant shall give the
department satisfactory proof of the applicant's full legal name, date of
birth, sex and residence address, if the applicant has a residence address, and
that the applicant's presence in the United States is authorized under federal
law.� The application shall briefly describe the applicant, state whether the
applicant has been licensed, and if so, the type of license issued, when and by
what state or country and whether any such license is under suspension, revocation
or cancellation. The application shall contain other identifying
information required by the department.

G. The department may adopt and implement procedures
to deny a nonoperating identification license to a person who has been
deported.� The department may adopt and implement procedures to reinstate a
person's privilege to apply for a nonoperating identification license if the
person's legal presence status is restored.

H. A nonoperating identification license issued by
the department is solely for the use and convenience of the applicant for
identification purposes.

I. The department shall adopt rules and establish
fees for issuance of a nonoperating identification license, except that the
department shall not require an examination.

J. The fees established pursuant to this section do
not apply to any of the following:

1. A person who is sixty-five years of age or
older.

2. A person who is a recipient of public monies as
an individual with a disability under title XVI of the social security act, as
amended.

3. A
veteran

person

who does not have a residence address.

4. A
veteran

person

whose residence address is the address of a shelter that provides services to
the homeless.

5. A child who is in the custody of the department
of child safety.

K. If a person qualifies for a nonoperating
identification license and is under the legal drinking age, the department
shall issue a license that is marked by color, code or design to immediately
distinguish it from a nonoperating identification license issued to a person of
legal drinking age. The department shall indicate on the
nonoperating identification license issued pursuant to this subsection the year
in which the person will attain the legal drinking age.

L. If a minor has been emancipated pursuant to title
12, chapter 15, on application and proof of emancipation, the department shall
issue a nonoperating identification license that contains the words
"emancipated minor".

M. Notwithstanding any other law, if an applicant
for a nonoperating identification license is at least sixteen years of age and
either does not have a residence address or is in the department of child
safety's custody, the applicant does not need a signature of the applicant's
parent, guardian, foster parent or employer.

N. For the purposes of this section,
"veteran" has the same meaning prescribed in section 41-601.

N. Except as provided in subsection d
of this section, a nonoperating identification license that is issued by the
department from and after the effective date of this amendment to this section
is valid for eight years.
END_STATUTE