Renewing Your Columbia University ID Card

With changing campus security and access policies, it is more important than ever to keep your Columbia University IDs up to date. Ensuring that your ID is current will facilitate smoother access to campus facilities and services, allowing you to fully participate in all that EPIC and Columbia have to offer.

We kindly ask all EPIC members to check the expiration date on the front of their ID cards. We have outlined the process for renewing your ID cards, as well as current information on campus entrance policies.


ID Card Access

The University ID Card facilitates authorized access to secured University locations, to include all academic buildings, the gym, and libraries. Your ID card lists all of your roles at Columbia or affiliated institutions. This is prefaced by: CU, BC, TC, or UTS followed by your role designation.

ID Card General Access and Privileges
  • Building Access: Access is determined by your role and affiliation with the university. If you are experiencing difficulties with access please contact Public Safety at Low Library
  • Requesting Additional Card Access: Public Safety has created a set of web forms that will enable you to more easily submit requests for some key services, including swipe access to academic buildings. Visit for more information: https://publicsafety.columbia.edu/content/forms.
  • Many buildings on Columbia’s campus are only open to members of the Columbia community and their guests. Access to these buildings is generally obtained either through showing or swiping one’s University ID card.
Dodge Fitness Center Access
  • For more information about access to the facility, please check out Dodge Fitness Center access, or if you want other information about the facility, please check out the Dodge Fitness Center website

Retirees can visit the ID Center once their retirement status has been finalized by Human Resources (please allow 2–4 weeks for processing).   

If your ID card has expired, there is no fee for a replacement. You will be expected to return the old ID card.


ID Center Locations

Morningside ID Center
210 Kent Hall
New York, NY 10027
212-854-4400
Hours: 9 am–5 pm, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Hours: 9 am–4 pm Tuesday
Check out the Morningside campus access updates.

Manhattanville ID Center Office
3270 Broadway
New York, New York 10027
212-853-2373
Hours: 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday

Medical Center ID Center Office
630 West 168 St. Room. 1-405C
New York, NY 10032
212-305-0238
Hours: 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Frida.

For more information, you can email [email protected] or visit their website. You may also call the service line at 212-854-4400 during regular business hours.


ID Card Photo Requirements

To submit a photo for your Columbia ID Card online, log into the secure site to submit your ID photo. The photo for should be passport-style and meet the following requirements:

  • A color, JPEG file
  • Uniform and light-colored background
  • Face forward with head and shoulders clearly visible
  • No sunglasses or hats
  • File size must be less than 100 kilobytes


Lost/Stolen ID Card

As soon as you realize that your card has been lost or stolen, deactivate it in person at the ID Center during regular business hours or by contacting the Public Safety Operations Center:

  • Morningside, please contact (212) 854-2797
  • Manhattanville, please contact (212) 853-2373
  • Medical Center, please contact (212) 305-0238

To replace a lost or stolen University ID card, you must come to the ID Center during regular business hours with a valid photo ID. Any swipe access you had on your lost card will be deactivated and transferred to your replacement card. In some cases, this may take up to 24 hours to process. There is a $20 non-refundable fee for replacement of lost/stolen University ID cards payable by credit card (Visa or Mastercard, cash is not an acceptable form of payment).