WEST VIRGINIA (WBOY) — Oh no. You forgot your wallet again. Your cash, your cards, your ID — it’s all sitting on the bedside table at home.

You’re inconvenienced, of course, But aside from that, you might wonder if you may be breaking the law in West Virginia by not having a photo ID on your person.

Melissa Giggenbach, a professor at the West Virginia University College of Law and the program director for the West Virginia Innocence Project clinic, said forgetting your wallet — and specifically your photo ID — is not illegal in and of itself in West Virginia.

However, while no statewide law exists, Giggenbach said some locations may still require some form of photo ID for you to enter.

“If we want to go, for example, into some public federal buildings, we probably need to have an ID, or we’re just not going to get admitted,” Giggenbach said. 

She mentioned while that rule applies to certain federal buildings like federal courthouses, you will not need your ID for a visit to the local post office.

Federal buildings aren’t the only times you may be required to prove your identity. Giggenbach said purchasing certain medications at a local pharmacy may require you to provide some form of government-issued photo ID like your driver’s license.

Certain businesses may require you to present your photo ID for age-restricted activities. A nightclub for 18-year-olds and older may ask to see your ID before you enter the building. A liquor store legally cannot sell alcohol to anyone under 21 years of age, so they are required to check your ID.

Additionally, Giggenbach said anytime you drive in West Virginia, you are required to have your state-issued driver’s license on you if you’re behind the wheel.