KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo County residents can now schedule an appointment to obtain a new county ID, renew an expired ID or replace a lost or stolen ID. This service was shut down in March 2020 by then Kalamazoo County Clerk Tim Snow due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kalamazoo County Clerk & Register of Deeds, Meredith Place announced Thursday the immediate availability of the Kalamazoo County Identification Card.
“From the moment I took office, I made re-launching this service a priority, which is why I am overjoyed to finally be able to re-open this popular program,” Place said. “Kalamazoo County residents need identification now more than ever, whether it’s to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, access affordable housing or open a bank account. I’m proud of the work our staff and members of the Kalamazoo County Identification Program Advisory Board have done to ensure this program is open to the public.”
Proposed by former County Commissioner Larry Provancher in 2016, the County ID Program officially opened to the public in May 2018. The Kalamazoo County ID is intended to recognize all Kalamazoo County residents and ensure they can connect with public safety, civic, and community services. The county ID cards feature a card holder’s photograph, date of birth, address, signature, a unique ID number, and other descriptors, such as height, weight, and eye color. ID cards are good for three years.
Nearly 3,000 residents saw the value of the Kalamazoo County ID prior to the service shutting down due to Covid-19. Over the last year, the Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds’ office received countless phone calls and emails asking when the ID cards would be reissued.
“We live in a society that often takes personal identification for granted, yet we’re required to have it on-hand and display it when asked,” said Francisco J. Villegas, chair of the Kalamazoo County Identification Program Advisory Board. “Barriers continue to exist in ensuring access to a Michigan ID. And, in the time of a global pandemic, the inability to produce an ID carries greater consequences.”
In order to obtain a County ID, Kalamazoo County residents are required to prove their residency status and identify themselves with several documents. Various types of identification documents are valued on a point scale, and residents must provide 300-400 points worth of identification to qualify.
“I want to thank Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds Meredith Place and her team for reinstating this popular program,” said Kalamazoo County Housing Director and former Treasurer Mary Balkema. “Identification is key to receiving many of our services and our houseless community members need the county ID to get back on their feet.”
The Kalamazoo County ID Program is open Monday through Friday by appointment in the Clerk & Register of Deeds office of the Kalamazoo County Administration Building. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please see visit our website, www.kalcounty.com/clerk/id, or contact the ID Office at (269)-384-8307.
