I think I am eligible for the CAL-ID program. How do I apply?

If you want to apply for a California state ID card through the CAL-ID program, talk to your correctional counselor (also called a “CC I”) at the prison. [67]

CDCR has informed us that the screening process takes place during the Release Program Study (RPS), which is usually performed 120-240 days prior to the prisoner’s release (read more about the RPS on PG. 148). CDCR has also informed us that a Parole Services Associate (PSA) collects the CAL-ID applications, sends them to CDCR headquarters, and monitors each prisoner’s progress in the CAL-ID program using an electronic tracking log.

As your release date approaches, you should be meeting with your counselor to develop a reentry plan. If you’re eligible for the CAL-ID program, your counselor should help you fill out the application for a California state ID. (If your counselor has not mentioned the program, and you think you are eligible, you should bring it to your counselor’s attention.) Next, the prison staff should check that all of your information is accurate, and then send your application to the CAL-ID Coordinator’s office at CDCR, which then shares it with the DMV. NOTE: If you aren’t sure where you’ll be living, you can fill out the CAL-ID application using the address of a parole office in your county of release. Once you get out, you are responsible for going to the DMV to update your address.

If the DMV finds you eligible, it will send your new California state ID directly to the prison. The prison will hold the ID in your file and give it to you at the time you are released. NOTE: It’s possible that your California state ID card won’t arrive in time for your release (for example, if your release date is recalculated so that you get out earlier than expected). If this is the case, once your California state ID card is ready, the prison should send it to your address in the community, or (if you’re on parole) send it to your parole officer to give it to you.

Helpful HintFor Additional Questions about the CAL-ID Program

If you have questions about the CAL-ID program, call Nikita Singh, CAL-ID Coordinator, In-Prison Unit, Division of Rehabilitative Programs, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), at the following phone number: (916) 327-3352, and/or talk to your correctional counselor.If you have Internet access, you can also view CDCR’s Fact Sheet on the CAL-ID program online:
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Rehabilitation/docs/Factsheets/Info_CALID_June2016.pdf

  1. 67

    Telephone call with Kris Applegate, CDCR Div. of Rehabilitative Programs (Jan. 7, 2015).