Contact Information: Paula Sollami Covello at 609.989.6465
Office of the Mercer County Clerk

As Fourth of July approaches, Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello announced that U.S. military veterans residing in Mercer County may now obtain a free county photo identification card that also designates their status as a veteran. The Identification card is available to all Mercer County veterans in acknowledgement of service rendered to the United States of America.

"So, now is the time of the year to pick one up," suggests the County Clerk. In addition, filing a DD-214 form is absolutely free of charge to Mercer County Veterans, added Clerk Sollami Covello.

The requirements for a Mercer County ID card are:

• Must be a Mercer County resident for at least 6 months.
• Must produce the following:
  • A valid birth certificate with a raised seal or a naturalization certificate.
  • A valid NJ Motor Vehicle License or voter registration card or, lease agreement.
  • To have their US military veteran status designated on the ID card, veterans must also produce or register their DD-214 honorable discharge papers with the County Clerk's Office.

Normally, veterans pay a special reduced fee of $10.00, half the normal price for a general ID card. However, during the weeks of Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Veteran's Day, ID cards are always free. This year, because Fourth of July falls on a Saturday, free IDs are available beginning Monday, June 29^th through to Friday, July 10^th.

"Because military papers can get damaged or lost, veterans should take advantage of the opportunity to file copies of their DD-214 discharge papers with the Clerk's Office," said Sollami Covello, whose office maintains and preserves official documents and records for Mercer County.

A Certificate of Release - Discharge from Active Duty, or DD-10214 Form for short, is generally issued when a service member is honorably discharged from active military duty. The document contains information normally needed to verify military service for benefits, retirement, employment, and membership in veterans' organizations.

"If a copy of their discharge papers are needed in the future, a veteran, an immediate family member or a legally recognized representative of their estate may obtain one with proper identification," noted Sollami Covello.

Veterans can receive their photo ID card by visiting the Mercer County Clerk's Office located in the Courthouse Annex at 209 S. Broad St. in Trenton. The Clerk's Office is open from Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm and Wednesdays until 6:30 pm.

For further information on how to obtain a Mercer County photo identification card, call 609.278.7108.