ID Photo Submission Process

Attention, incoming MU students! Get your Student ID in four easy steps:

  1. Login to our ID Card Manager
  2. Upload an image of your ID document
  3. Submit a square photo of yourself
  4. Pick up your physical Student ID during your Summer Welcome session or move-in!

If you’re an enrolled student attending Summer Welcome, submit your photo 1+ week ahead of your Summer Welcome session. Otherwise, all enrolled students can begin submitting their ID photo 33 days before the start of the semester (on or after July 19, 2023 for incoming 2023-24 students)

If you will not attend a Summer Welcome session and are not able to enroll in classes until you are on campus, you may need to get an ID once you arrive.  If you anticipate that this applies to you, you can reach out to your program or Residential Life to discuss how this may impact your arrival.

Follow our detailed instructions to make submitting your ID photo a breeze:

  1. Upload your ID document

This means any U.S. Government-Issued Photo ID. You can use a driver’s license, military ID, VISA page of your passport, etc. If uploaded successfully, an image of the ID document will appear on the page. If you don’t see your ID document, it wasn’t accepted by our system. Please resubmit. When submitting, make sure the file is in the .jpg, .jpeg, or .png format.

  1. Submit a square photo for your Student ID (similar to a passport or driver’s license)

Follow these directions to take a successful ID photo:

  • Use a white or off-white background without shadows or patterns
  • Face the camera straight-on, filling most of the square photo with room around your face
  • Prescription glasses must leave the eye fully visible
  • Religious head coverings are permitted
  • Hats, sunglasses, hands, other people, and objects are prohibited
  • Submit your photo as a .jpg, .jpeg, or .png file
  1. Click VIEW MY PHOTOS at the bottom of the page

Here, you can see if your photo is Pending or Accepted. If your photo stays in Pending status for 5+ business days, check your MU email account for an email from the ID office. If you haven’t received an email, contact us.

Photo Submission FAQs:

I get a “login failed” notification when I try to log in to idcardmanger.missouri.edu.  What does this mean?

You are most likely not in the ID System yet. Be sure one of the following is true for you:

  • Your Summer Welcome orientation fee has been processed by University Cashiers.
  • It is within 33 days of the start of the semester for which you are enrolled (with courses appearing in myZou).
  • It is after your Residential Life housing contract start date. In most cases, you should upload a picture to complete your ID photo submission before arrival to campus. However, if you do not attend a Summer Welcome session and are not able to enroll in classes until you are on campus, you may need to get an ID once you arrive. If you anticipate that this applies to you, reach out to your program or Residential Life to discuss how this may impact your arrival.

Did my photo get accepted?

In idcardmanager.missouri.edu, click VIEW MY PHOTOS to check your photo’s progression from Pending to Accepted.  If your photo has been in Pending status for 5+ business days, check your MU email account for an email from the ID office. If you haven’t received an email, contact us.

Can I choose a name other than my legal name on my ID card (i.e., “Tommy” rather than “Thomas”).

This is called a “Preferred Name” and students can adjust this here.

MU employees can contact their HR representative. Once this has been done, the Preferred Name will be able to appear on their ID card.

I submitted my photo, and it was approved.  When will I receive my card?

  • Incoming and transfer students: We pre-print cards for those who attend Summer Welcome, Winter Welcome, or live in a residential hall. Once we’ve printed your card, we will email you with pickup instructions.
  • All other students, faculty and staff: please come by the ID Office to have your card printed.

My “View my Photos” page shows the reasons photos were rejected.  What do they mean?

There are a few reasons your photo might have been rejected, which are most commonly:

  • Low Quality
  • You’re using a filter, making hand gestures, etc.
  • Too bright, dark, distant or close
  • Not centered
  • Wearing a hat or sunglasses
  • Not a self-portrait
  • More than 1 person
  • No ID – it is not the U.S. Visa page of the passport, or it is not readable.
  • Inconsistent name
  • You are not facing the camera
  • Cluttered or dark background
  • A square photo was not submitted, or space was not left around the face, causing our square cropping function to reject the photo.
  • You did not submit an ID document AND a photo.
  • Your ID document was submitted as your ID photo – an ID document was submitted in the “submit a photo” function.  Check “view my photos”, where all the photos should be pictures of you.

I received a “stale request” error. What do I do?

Please open the browser in “incognito mode” and login again to idcardmanager.missouri.edu.

If you are still experiencing issues, please contact Tech Support at 882-5000.