In less than a month, Americans and permanent residents will only be able to pass through airport security or enter a federal government building if they have a Real ID. Most states are not yet fully compliant, though they’ve had nearly 20 years to prepare for this deadline.
Department of Homeland Security
The Real ID is an enhanced ID card issued by state drivers license agencies. To obtain one, people are required to show a valid ID, as well as proof of identity, such as a passport or certified birth certificate, proof of a Social Security number and date of birth, plus two documents showing state residency, including a utility bill, credit card statement or rental agreement.
So far, 30 states are less than 70% compliant. That means that in more than half the country, as many as three in every 10 travelers may not be able to pass through an airport checkpoint in just a few weeks.
Twelve states and the District of Columbia reported compliance rates above 90%, with seven states — Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming and the District of Columbia — saying they’re virtually 100% compliant. Texas reports 98% compliance, Mississippi 97%, Hawaii 96%, Utah 96% and Vermont 92%.
TSA says it’s seeing about 81% compliance at airport checkpoints — meaning passengers are showing up with either a Real ID-compliant driver’s license or state ID, a passport, a valid military ID, an “enhanced” ID issued by a handful of states or other valid identification.
Photo by KDKA
The Real ID law was passed in 2005, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, to try to make state-issued identification more secure and harder to counterfeit. The deadline for implementation has been delayed several times, most recently because of the pandemic. Several fully compliant states began issuing Real IDs as far back as 2009, enabling all residents to obtain a compliant ID when they renewed an existing license.
“Any new issuance of driver’s license, you had to prove your identity and lawful presence back in 2009,” said Electra Bustle, the senior director of the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles. She says the deadline delays helped the Centennial State to be ready for the May 7 deadline. “We have a 10-year renewal cycle before you have to get a new photograph. You can see that moving it allowed us to ensure that we’re at 100% of those who are eligible to be now — to have Real IDS.”
A Real ID can be identified by a black or gold star in the upper right corner of the ID. Sometimes the star appears in a circle, while California puts its star symbol inside a golden bear.
Not everyone needs a Real ID. If you don’t fly or enter federal government buildings, a legacy ID will continue to be valid until its expiration date.
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