The Chicago CityKey ID application is the form the Office of the City Clerk of Chicago uses for the City of Chicago Municipal ID Program. Chicago residents complete it to apply for a new CityKey, to replace a lost or stolen card, or to update an existing one. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF. The City Clerk publishes the original PDF and tells applicants to bring the completed application and their documents to a CityKey event.
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What is Application for the City of Chicago Municipal ID Program CityKey?
The Application for the City of Chicago Municipal ID Program CityKey is the form on which a Chicago resident requests a CityKey, the municipal ID card issued through the Office of the City Clerk of Chicago, or asks to replace or update one.
The first block asks which kind of request you are making: New Applicant, Replacement CityKey (with your CityKey ID Number), Lost/Stolen or Updating CityKey. The form then collects your name, gender marker, address, date of birth and the optional items that can appear on the card: an organ donor choice for applicants 16 and older, a Chicago Public Library (CPL) card number, an emergency contact, a veteran designation, up to two medical conditions and allergies. It closes with a signature under a certification of Chicago residency.
The printed notice on the form says the information is used only to apply for a CityKey and that the Office of the City Clerk will not save your information or retain the application. A section at the bottom, marked For Official Use Only, is completed by staff: it records the pre-screen, authentication and delegate agency, and lists the Proof of Identity and Proof of Residency documents with points.
The form is the application itself. The City Clerk offers separate forms for related situations, such as the Delegate Agency Form, the CityKey Care of Letter, the Caretaker Attestation Form and the Appeals Form.
Who needs to file Application for the City of Chicago Municipal ID Program CityKey?
Residents of the City of Chicago who want a CityKey use this application. By signing, you certify under penalty of perjury that you are a resident of the City of Chicago and that your statements are true.
The form serves four situations: a new applicant, a replacement card, a lost or stolen card, and an update to an existing CityKey. If you applied for and received a CityKey before, you also certify that the original card was lost, stolen or has since expired.
Other groups the City Clerk's application page addresses:
- People who want help putting an application together can visit a CityKey Delegate Agency.
- Applicants aged 14 to 21 who have no documents to prove Chicago residency can use the Caretaker Attestation Form with an eligible caretaker.
- Nonprofits and government agencies helping someone prove residency complete the CityKey Care of Letter.
- Applicants denied during their appointment can use the Appeals Form.
City of Chicago employees (or their dependents) and retirees enrolled in the City of Chicago Prescription Drug Program must answer a separate question on the form and agree not to use the prescription discount program on the back of the CityKey.
When to file Application for the City of Chicago Municipal ID Program CityKey
The form sets no deadline. You complete it when you want a first CityKey, or when you need to replace a lost or stolen card or update an existing one, using the matching box under Application Type. A person who already received a CityKey certifies on the form that the original card was lost, stolen or has expired.
The City Clerk's application page tells applicants to bring the completed form and their documents to the next CityKey event, so plan around the event dates the City Clerk publishes. If you hold an existing CPL card and want it integrated into your CityKey, you must present it during the CityKey printing process.
Documents you need
- Proof of Identity documents: the name on your application must match the name on them. The CityKey Document Guides list the accepted documents.
- Proof of Residency documents: the address on your application must be the same as the address on them. The CityKey Document Guides list the accepted documents.
- A court order indicating the name change, if you have legally changed your name.
- For a veteran designation: approved documentation, such as a DL/State ID, DD-214, VA Card, benefits documentation or another document written in on the form.
- Your Chicago Public Library card, only if you have one and want it integrated into your CityKey; present it during the printing process.
- The CityKey ID Number of your existing card, entered on the form if you apply for a replacement.
- A CityKey Care of Letter, only if a nonprofit or government agency is helping you prove residency.
- The Caretaker Attestation Form with an eligible caretaker, only if you are 14 to 21 and cannot document your Chicago residency.
How to fill out Application for the City of Chicago Municipal ID Program CityKey
Select the application type
Check New Applicant, Replacement CityKey, Lost/Stolen or Updating CityKey. For a replacement, enter your CityKey ID Number in the space provided.
Enter your name and gender
Write your first name, middle initial or name, and last name exactly as on your Proof of Identity documents. Check one gender option: M (male), F (female), NB (non binary) or No Gender marker on ID.
Enter your address
Write your street name and unit number as shown on your Proof of Residency documents. Check the box if you do not want the address listed on the card, and optionally provide your ZIP Code for program evaluation only.
Add date of birth and organ donor choice
Enter the month, day and year of birth. If you are 16 or older, answer Yes or No to showing your intent to be an organ donor on the ID.
Add library card and emergency contact
Enter your Chicago Public Library card number if you have one. The emergency contact name and phone number are optional.
Request the veteran designation
Check Yes only if you will present approved documentation, and mark the document type: DL/State ID, DD-214, VA Card, benefits documentation or other.
Choose medical conditions and allergies
This section is optional. Check up to two medical conditions and any allergies listed, or write an entry under Other, remembering the card cannot fit more than two items.
Answer the prescription drug question
Check No and move on, or check Yes if you are a City of Chicago employee, dependent or retiree enrolled in the City of Chicago Prescription Drug Program, and check the acknowledgment box.
Sign the residency certification
Sign on the Signature line. Leave the For Official Use Only section blank; staff complete it.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check the name, address and checked boxes against your documents. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and take it to a CityKey event as described under How to submit.
How to submit Application for the City of Chicago Municipal ID Program CityKey
You submit the completed application in person at a CityKey event, together with your documents; the form names no mailing address or online portal.
- CityKey event: the Office of the City Clerk of Chicago says to fill out the application and bring it, with your documents, to the next CityKey event. Staff complete the For Official Use Only section.
- Delegate Agencies: if you need help, a CityKey Delegate Agency can explain the program, go over eligibility and help you put the application together.
- Appeal: if your application was denied during your appointment, the Appeals Form asks the Office of the City Clerk to review your case.
Bring the documents that prove your identity and your Chicago residency; the City Clerk's CityKey Document Guides describe them. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above. Check the City Clerk's website for event dates and locations.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Writing a name that does not match your Proof of Identity documents, or omitting the court order when you have legally changed your name.
- Entering an address that differs from the address on your Proof of Residency documents.
- Checking the box to leave your address off the card without knowing that some institutions will not accept the CityKey as valid ID without an address.
- Marking more than two medical conditions or allergies; the card has limited space and the form says to check a maximum of two.
- Checking yes to organ donor intent and expecting your information to link to the First Person Authorization (FPA) Registry; it only expresses your wish to be a donor.
- Answering the organ donor question when you are under 16; it applies only to applicants 16 and older.
- Claiming the veteran designation without bringing approved documentation.
- Leaving the application unsigned; the certification of Chicago residency requires your signature.
- Checking Yes on the City of Chicago Prescription Drug Program question without the required acknowledgment box, or using the prescription discount on the card's back while enrolled in that program.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CityKey application?
It is the Office of the City Clerk of Chicago's application for the City of Chicago Municipal ID Program. You use it to request a new CityKey, replace a lost or stolen card, or update an existing one, and you sign a certification that you are a Chicago resident.
Can I fill out the CityKey application online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the application; you bring it with your documents to a CityKey event, as the City Clerk directs.
Where do I submit the Chicago CityKey application?
The City Clerk says to bring the completed application and your documents to the next CityKey event. The form lists no mailing address or online submission. A CityKey Delegate Agency can help you put the application together first.
What documents do I need to apply for a CityKey?
You need Proof of Identity and Proof of Residency documents, plus a court order if you legally changed your name and approved documentation for a veteran designation. The City Clerk's CityKey Document Guides list which documents are accepted.
Does my name have to match my ID documents?
Yes. The name on the application must match your Proof of Identity documents. If you use a name other than your legal name, you may instead enter the initials of your first and middle names and your full last name, such as J. Smith.
Can I leave my address off the CityKey?
Yes, you can check the box that says you do not want your address listed on the card. The form warns that some institutions will not accept the CityKey as valid ID without an address.
Does the City Clerk keep my application information?
The form states the information is used only to apply for a CityKey and that the Office of the City Clerk will not save your information or retain the application. Your ZIP Code, if given, is used only to evaluate the program.
What if I am 14 to 21 and cannot prove residency?
The City Clerk offers a Caretaker Attestation Form for applicants aged 14 to 21 without residency documents. An eligible caretaker who meets the identity and residency proof rules and can verify a legal relationship attests to your residency.
What if my CityKey application is denied?
If the application was denied during your appointment, the City Clerk's Appeals Form lets someone from the Office of the City Clerk review your case. The form is available from the Appeals Form page on the City Clerk's website.
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