ID, Please! 100 Everyday Things That Require an ID (Spoiler: Voting Isn’t One of Them)

Our team recently undertook on an intense, slightly scientific, eye-opening research project, diving deep to uncover every single thing in daily life that requires an ID. Picture us huddled over stacks of government documents, interviewing DMV staff, and even attempting to adopt a few cats just to double-check. From renting bouncy castles to buying antihistamines, we examined it all. After months of labor and a few questionable ID checks of our own, we were stunned by one glaring exception: voting.

Yes, you read that right. You need ID to rent a U-Haul, claim lost luggage, and even to pick up certain types of medicine, but when it comes to voting? Not necessarily! We emerged from this mission half amused and half bewildered, finally realizing that voting was the one activity where “just showing up” still works. It’s a quirk of the system that almost makes as much sense as requiring an ID to buy spray paint but not to enter a bar after hours. It’s all part of the strange beauty of bureaucracy.

Here is our list of 100 items you need to use an ID for:

1. Buying a bottle of wine.
2. Getting into a nightclub.
3. Applying for a library card.
4. Buying Sudafed.
5. Renting a car.
6. Adopting a pet.
7. Opening a bank account.
8. Buying spray paint.
9. Picking up a prescription.
10. Getting a Costco membership.
11. Buying lottery tickets.
12. Checking into a hotel.
13. Donating blood.
14. Buying a plane ticket.
15. Registering for college classes.
16. Going to an R-rated movie.
17. Buying a pack of cigarettes.
18. Applying for a fishing license.
19. Checking out power tools at Home Depot.
20. Entering some theme parks.
21. Claiming lost luggage.
22. Getting a tattoo.
23. Renting a bouncy castle.
24. Joining a gym.
25. Buying fireworks.
26. Picking up a concert ticket at will-call.
27. Collecting your tax refund.
28. Signing up for a dating app.
29. Buying a house.
30. Renting a U-Haul.
31. Booking a hotel room.
32. Entering a casino.
33. Applying for a hunting license.
34. Registering a business.
35. Getting married at a courthouse.
36. Collecting unemployment benefits.
37. Signing a lease agreement.
38. Applying for a passport.
39. Filing for a gun permit.
40. Checking into an airport lounge.
41. Registering your car.
42. Applying for a business loan.
43. Enlisting in the military.
44. Picking up a Western Union transfer.
45. Registering for summer camp (even kids sometimes need ID!).
46. Purchasing a cell phone plan.
47. Getting a CPR certification.
48. Enrolling in a 401(k).
49. Entering a bar after hours.
50. Applying for Social Security.
51. Getting a job (background checks require ID!).
52. Receiving government aid.
53. Claiming lost items at an airport.
54. Reserving a cruise ticket.
55. Entering a brewery or distillery.
56. Applying for life insurance.
57. Entering a private club or members-only event.
58. Renewing a passport.
59. Buying a crossbow.
60. Enrolling in an adult education class.
61. Selling goods at a pawn shop.
62. Entering a military base.
63. Checking into a spa.
64. Applying for a contractor’s license.
65. Registering for certain online services.
66. Entering some concerts or festivals.
67. Getting a marriage certificate.
68. Applying for Medicaid.
69. Joining AARP (if you’re finally old enough).
70. Entering a horse racetrack.
71. Registering as a sex offender (serious, but needs ID).
72. Signing up for a mail-forwarding service.
73. Retrieving an impounded car.
74. Requesting a death certificate (for a family member).
75. Starting a bank trust.
76. Entering an adult video store.
77. Renting certain high-end sports cars.
78. Applying to adopt a child.
79. Signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDAs).
80. Entering some government buildings.
81. Picking up certain video games (M-rated).
82. Getting a driver’s license.
83. Enrolling in TSA PreCheck.
84. Collecting a family inheritance.
85. Entering a gun show.
86. Claiming a deceased family member’s belongings.
87. Renting a tuxedo (yes, sometimes they check).
88. Taking a bar exam.
89. Attending certain legal proceedings.
90. Getting a real estate license.
91. Renting scuba gear.
92. Checking out restricted books in rare libraries.
93. Entering a prison as a visitor.
94. Applying for a professional certification.
95. Picking up a certified letter from the post office.
96. Applying for an occupational license.
97. Filing taxes electronically.
98. Taking the SAT or ACT.
99. Applying for long-term care insurance.
100. Signing up for a rewards program at a casino.