I understand that I can obtain a Nevada state ID card if I qualify by meeting the rules required. The main requirement is living in Neveda at least 31+ days consecutively. With this ID, I do not have to give up my current driver’s license, as this ID is not a Nevada drivers license. Does this ID then qualify me as a Nevada resident for purposes of the free parking at various casinos, especially on the Strip?
Because we've always possessed a Nevada driver's license and never needed or used a Nevada ID card, we don't have personal experience with using one for parking on the Strip.
Also, this question turned out to be a little more difficult to answer than we expected. As always, we were either ignored by the casinos or, when we actually managed to ask someone this question, we were referred to the parking company. The parking company referred us to the casinos. So we can't provide a definitive answer, but we do cover the variables.
Most if not all parking systems on the Strip require both a Nevada ID and Nevada license plates. The plates alone won't trigger the locals discount. After all, many if not most of the rental cars in Las Vegas carry Nevada plates.
You'll probably qualify if you have a Nevada non-driver ID card and Nevada license plates. A Nevada non-driver state ID card has the 2D PDF417 barcode on the back, just like a Nevada driver's license. This barcode contains the same personal information displayed on the front of the card and is used for scanning by authorized entities, including at TSA checkpoints. We assume that it's also an acceptable alternative to a drivers license for the parking systems, but as mentioned, we can't confirm this.
Of course, if you drive in with your own car from out of state, you definitely won't qualify with a Nevada ID and out-of-state license plates. Again, you need both the Nevada ID and Nevada tags. Now, you might qualify with a rental car that has Nevada plates, but that's not a given. In our research, we read that some automated parking systems require the same information on the car's registration as the drivers license, but we don't know how accurate that is.
To summarize, you're definitely good for free parking with a Nevada drivers license or, we assume, Nevada non-driver ID and Nevada tags that match the info on the drivers license. You might be good for free parking with a Nevada non-driver ID and Nevada tags not in your name. You're definitely not good for free parking with out-of-state drivers license and Nevada tags.
