By MOAA Staff

 

Do you have a Uniformed Services ID card with an “indefinite” expiration date? Are you worried you may need to update or replace it?

 

Recent messages have led to confusion among some cardholders. Below are some answers to frequently asked questions; for more details on other types of ID cards, including eligibility and renewal guidelines, visit MOAA’s ID Card page.

 

Q. I have an older, paper-based, “INDEF” identification card. Do I need to renew/replace it?

A. No. Per official guidance, these cards “will all remain valid until DoD determines when those legacy paper-based cards will be terminated.”

 

Q. Should I renew/replace it anyway?

A. Cardholders may replace the legacy card with a plastic-based card “at their convenience,” per official guidance. Doing so in advance of any expiration announcement may be a smoother process, although officials say any termination of the older cards will be announced “well in advance of the actual termination date.”

 

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Q. How do I renew/replace it?

A. Cardholders have two options:

• Online: Go to the ID Card Office Online website and click “Continue” under the “Family ID Cards” box. Follow the prompts to request a new card.
  
  
• In Person: Go to the ID Card Office Online website and click “Continue” under the “ID Card Office Locator & Appointments” box. Follow the prompts to set up an in-person appointment. You may renew/replace your card at any of the offices listed; consider widening the search area if those nearby have limited spaces available.

Q. I have questions about the renewal/replacement process.

A. Visit CAC.mil for more information, or call the Defense Manpower Data Center customer service line at (800) 538-9552.

 

Q. I was told/I read the deadline to get a plastic card is Dec. 31, 2025. Is this true?

A. No. As one Army webpage explains, “The Department of Defense (DoD) has not set a termination date for legacy paper-based Uniformed Services ID (USID) cards with ‘INDEF’ (indefinite) expiration dates. Despite earlier reports, including a now-corrected DFAS newsletter citing a December 31, 2025 deadline, no such cutoff currently exists.”

 

Many of the reports were later cited in social media messaging and other platforms, leading to confusion among some cardholders.

 

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Q. How can I be sure I don’t miss an update on the termination date?

A. MOAA will continue to provide updates as we receive them regarding any changes to ID card policy. Officials recommend visiting the ID Card Office Online website and clicking “Continue” under the “My Profile” box, then following the prompts to check (and update, if necessary) your contact information, so you will receive such updates as they are issued.