Attorney ID - Personal Identification Verification (PIV) Badge Conditions and Procedures

The Personal Identification Verification (PIV) ID Card for Attorneys is a privilege extended by the Nueces County Sheriff and the Nueces County Commissioners Court pursuant to Texas Local Govt. Code §291.003, and §291.010 to attorneys and certain members of their staff who need to utilize the Nueces County Courthouse.

  • As construction on the courthouse atrium progresses, benefits afforded PIV Card holders may change. PIV Cardholders will be alerted to any changes either by email or posting at the Nueces County Courthouse.
  • When heightened security levels dictate, at the Sheriff's discretion, privileges afforded PIV Cardholders may be suspended until heightened security levels recede.

Courthouse Tower Access:

  • The PIV Card may be used to grant the cardholder access to the designated attorney line at the security checkpoint entrance to the tower.
  • Note that all PIV Cardholders must pass through X-ray screening equipment before entering the courthouse tower.
  • Purses, briefcases, document boxes, etc., will be scanned by security before entering the tower.

Personal Identification Verification (PIV) ID Card Cost:

  • The cost to the applicant per year of PIV Card use will be $40.00.
The Personal Identification Verification (PIV) ID Card will be valid from January 1 of each year to December 31 of that same year. Application for a new card will need to be done at the change of every year.

Step 1 – Applicant requests a PIV Card online.

Step 2 – Applicant will receive a code via email from FTA.

Step 3 – Applicant schedules in-person appointment via email to complete enrollment process.

Step 4 – Applicants must bring two Acceptable forms of ID (listed below) to the Identity Proofing Appointment. Both documents must be original (not copies) and current (not expired) for PIV Cards to be issued. Copies, or expired originals are unacceptable.

  • During the Identity Proofing Appointment, the Badging Coordinator authenticates the applicant's identity, scans the ID documents, and captures the applicant's photograph and fingerprints.
  • Important Note: The applicant's name as entered into the PIV system must match exactly at least one of the ID documents and must ne the current legal name of the applicant.

Step 5 – Set a personal identification number (PIN) that is 8 digits and meets complexity requirements. Then accept responsibility for the card.

PIV – Acceptable forms of Identification

During an in-person proofing process, all Applicants will complete and sign a Cardholder Agreement and present two valid identification documents as follows:

A primary photo ID must be one of the following:

  • US Federal Government Photo ID
  • US Passport
  • US Certificate of US Citizenship
  • State-Issued Photo ID
  • Certification of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State
  • US Certificate of Naturalization
  • US Military ID Card
  • State-Issued Driver's License

A secondary identity document must be one of the following:

  • A different type of US photo ID from the list above. (E.g., a US Federal Government ID and a US Passport are acceptable, but two US Federal Government Photo IDs are not.)
  • US Social Security Card
  • An original Birth Certificate, issued by a state, municipal or county agency, bearing an official seal.