How To Get Your New City ID That Gives You Free Memberships At Museums, Concert Halls, Zoos & More
Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito launched the country’s largest municipal identification program yesterday
– and residents from all five boroughs can now apply for an ID card that will allow individuals to open bank accounts; access all city buildings; receive discounts on prescriptions; land free one-year memberships at museums, concert halls, and zoos; and more.“IDNYC is not only a card for all New Yorkers, it is the gateway to City services, the key to opening a bank account or getting a library card, and the ticket to many of our city’s finest cultural institutions,”Mayor Bill de Blasio stated in a press release. “More than that, this card represents who we are: New Yorkers who value equality, opportunity and diversity.”
The mayor and area lawmakers said the new program will help to knock down barriers for residents who have previously had problems accessing city institutions because of a lack of ID, including undocumented immigrants and individuals who are homeless.
According to the mayor’s office, the IDNYC card will be accepted as valid primary identification for opening bank or credit union accounts at more than 10 financial institutions (all of which you can see listed here), including Popular Community Bank, Amalgamated Bank, Carver Federal Savings Bank, and Brooklyn Cooperative Federal Credit Union. The ID card will be integrated into the city’s official prescription drug discount card, BigAppleRx, giving card holders up to 50 percent off most FDA-approved prescription medications at more than 2,000 New York City pharmacies.
Other benefits of the card include:
- Discounts on movie tickets, Broadway shows, sporting events, theme parks, and more.
- A 10 percent discount off annual NYC Parks Recreation Center membership for adults age 25-61 and NYC Parks Department tennis permits.
- A 20 percent discount on family memberships at all 22 YMCA centers citywide.
- A free 30-day trial and fitness evaluation with a certified trainer at all New York Sports Club locations.
- A 5 percent discount off all purchases at Food Bazaar supermarkets in the city Monday through Friday, from 7am to 7pm.
- A 25 percent discount on New York Pass, a citywide pass to 83 tourist attractions in all five boroughs.
- Free one-year membership packages at 33 of the city’s leading cultural institutions, including museums, performing arts centers, concert halls, botanical gardens, and zoos across the five boroughs.
All city residents age 14 and older are eligible for the municipal ID card, and enrollment is free for anyone who applies in 2015. Anyone who applies will not be asked about their immigration status.
To apply for the card, you will need to do the following:
- Have documents proving your identity and residency, such as a passport or driver’s license. To see the full list of accepted documents, go here.
- Bring your documents and application (which you can find here) to an enrollment center. There are currently three enrollment centers in Brooklyn: the Brooklyn Business Center (210 Joralemon Street, first floor), the Central Library (10 Grand Army Plaza), and the Sunset Park Recreation Center (7th Avenue and 43rd Street). You can see the full list of enrollment centers, and their hours, here.
Once you complete the application process, your IDNYC card will be mailed to you within 14 business days. If you don’t have an address, or have security concerns about it being mailed to you, you can pick up the card at the enrollment center where you applied after 15 business days.
Elected officials from our area, including Councilman Mathieu Eugene and Councilman Brad Lander, have thrown their support behind the new ID program.
“I am so pleased that the IDNYC card will be available to all residents of New York City starting this week. The municipal identification card will make it easier for immigrants, people with disabilities, and teens to access critically important city services,” Eugene said in a press release. “As a Council member who represents a highly diverse constituency, I am familiar with how difficult it is for many people to access government resources and gain admission to city buildings.”
“My family and I can’t wait to get our IDNYC cards,” Lander said in the same release. “(Lander’s wife) Meg and I are excited about joining New Yorkers in expressing our civic pride in NYC, getting a new library card, and having access to so many great museums. Like many 15-year-olds, our son is mostly excited about the discounted movie tickets.”
For more information about the new ID, you can visit the city’s IDNYC website.