Getting your Tacoma Public Library Card

To Apply For A Tacoma Public Library Card.
Library cards are free to all Tacoma residents, to persons showing evidence of paying Property Taxes to the City of Tacoma, to businesses with an Annual Business License from the City of Tacoma, and to employees of the City of Tacoma. Persons living outside the city limits must pay a yearly non-resident fee of $51 ($25.50 for six months). This fee is adjusted yearly and represents the per-capita expenditure of the City of Tacoma for library services to city residents.

Acceptable Identification
Before a Tacoma Public Library card can be issued, acceptable current photo identification and proof of residency must be provided. The following types of identification are acceptable:

• A current state, international or foreign driver's license with photograph
• Washington State Identification Card from the Department of Licensing
• Indian tribal affiliation card
• Out-of-state Identification Card
• Passport (USA or foreign)
• Foreign Visa
• Alien Registration Card issued by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
• Military identification
• Local school identification card for current year (with photograph)
• Employee identification card with photograph

Verifying current local residence
Materials which verify current local residency must also be provided. Acceptable address verification includes:

• Current acceptable photo identification (see above)
• Printed personal checks from applicant's bank
• A utility bill or rent receipt from he current month
• Recent mail with the applicant's name, residence address and a postal cancellation stamp not more than four weeks old

Persons who have acceptable personal identification, but who are unable to provide verification of current residency, may have the library card mailed to them to verify residency. However, no library materials can be checked out until the Tacoma Public Library card is received.

Library cards for children 14 years and under
Persons under the age of fourteen (14) must have the application signed by a parent or guardian and either acceptable personal identification or the identification of a parent or guardian.
A Tacoma Public Library card is your key to a universe of information and entertainment. We hope you will cherish it, guard it, and use it wisely.

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