close
close

Mondor Festival

News with a Local Lens

    • The deadline for requiring a Real ID is just 6 months away. What to know.
    minsta

    The deadline for requiring a Real ID is just 6 months away. What to know.

    Pabio Posted on

    play

    • Starting May 7, 2025, travelers will need a real identification document, such as a driver’s license or state-issued ID, to travel within the country.
    • Real IDs can be obtained from local auto services and require documents such as proof of identity, residency and legal status.
    • The deadline was pushed back from 2020 to 2025 due to backlogs at Division of Motor Vehicles offices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    You may want to ensure that all your travel documents are marked True identification seal before you start planning your next summer vacation.

    All travelers interested in traveling across the country have until May 7, 2025 to obtain a state-issued ID card or driver’s license with a real identification seal, as ordered by the ministry of Homeland Security. (Unless they have a passport.)

    The “official” deadline may be six months away, but it’s not too early to make sure you’re ready to fly free and clear.

    Any state-issued identification document without a seal does not meet the “minimum security standards” set by the Real ID Act of 2005, which automatically bars travelers from taking a domestic flight and entering a federal facility.

    The requirement was originally scheduled to take effect in 2020, but was pushed back until May 2025 due to “backlogged transactions” at Motor Vehicle Division offices across the country, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 19, USA TODAY. reported.

    The mountains of paperwork, depending on the department, has impacted agencies’ ability to make real progress in deploying Real ID. But this time the deadline is really real.

    This means that federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration, will not be able to accept driver’s licenses and state-issued ID cards that are not Real ID compliant.

    Here’s what to know about Real ID, including how and where to get one:

    Learn more: Best travel insurance

    Do I need a real ID if I have a passport?

    No. Any traveler with an up-to-date passport or any other TSA approved The form of identification does not require a real ID to travel within the country.

    When does Real ID come into effect?

    Any traveler over the age of 18 who does not have another TSA-approved ID to travel on a domestic flight must have a Real ID-compliant ID card or driver’s license by May 7, 2025. If you already have another TSA-approved ID. , then you probably don’t need a real ID.

    Other TSA-approved alternatives include:

    State-issued enhanced driver’s license.

    Trusted DHS Traveler Cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST).

    U.S. Department of Defense identification card, including identification documents issued to dependents.

    Border crossing card.

    Acceptable photo identification issued by a federally recognized tribal nation/Indian tribe.

    HSPD-12 PIV card.

    Passport issued by a foreign government.

    Canadian provincial driver’s license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card.

    Transport worker identification title.

    United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766).

    Title of American merchant seaman.

    Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC).

    Where can I get a Real ID?

    You can obtain a Real ID driver’s license or identification card from your local Department of Motor Vehicles. It takes approximately fifteen daysOr 15 working daysto process identifiers.

    All Real ID cards will have a stamp in the right corner to show that they meet federal standards. The symbol on your Real ID card varies depending on the issuing state.

    Enhanced ID cards, which are only issued in a few states, including Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Vermont, are considered acceptable alternatives to REAL ID-compliant cards, according to the department.

    What is needed for true identification?

    You will need to visit your state’s driver’s license agency website to find out what documents you will need to provide to get a REAL ID, depending on EDS.

    But, at a minimum, you must provide documentation including:

    Full legal name.

    Date of birth.

    Social security number.

    Proof of primary residence.

    Legal status.

    Some states may impose additional requirements.

    Pabio
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like