Your “INDEF” DoD identification card likely won’t be as “indefinite” as advertised.

While no date has been set for the expiration of the paper-based Uniformed Services Identification Card (USID), DoD “is currently evaluating the potential phase-out” of those cards, a DoD spokesperson told MOAA on Oct. 17 – even cards with “extended or indefinite expiration dates.”

[RELATED: ID Card Resources From MOAA]

Previous DoD guidance listed 2026 as a likely cutoff date, though the spokesperson did not provide any date in an emailed response to questions. However, DoD does “encourage all holders of paper-based ‘INDEF’ cards, to include all retirees, to replace them with Next Gen USID Cards by scheduling an appointment at their nearest ID card issuance facility at their convenience,” per the email.

Some retirees and family members may be able to renew their “INDEF” cards online and skip the in-person appointment. If you have a paper-based ID card and want to upgrade, here’s a walk-through of the process for in-person and online renewal/replacement.

In Person

• Find your nearest ID office at this link. You’ll be able to search by location, find hours and contact information for nearby offices, and make your appointment online.
  
  
• Ensure you bring all required documents for an ID card renewal/reissuance.

Online

First, you’ll need to determine your eligibility for online renewal. According to DoD, in order to skip the in-person appointment:

• The sponsor must have a common access card (CAC) or a DoD Self-Service Logon (DS Logon).
  
  
• The sponsor and the cardholder must have authorized DoD to use their email to contact them via the ID Card Office.
  
  
• The cardholder must have a current mailing address in the U.S. (or an APO/FPO/DPO address; no post office boxes) and a photo taken in the last 12 years, both on file with the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). Learn how to update your DEERS record at this link.

If you are eligible, visit the ID Card Office Online at this link and click the “Family ID Cards” block. You’ll need to log in via CAC or DS Logon to begin the process; you can learn more about eligibility, requirements, and proof of identity at this link.

Further ID card questions should be directed to the Defense Manpower Data Center. Its customer support team can be reached at (800) 538-9552 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., excluding federal holidays.