Real ID Questions and Confusion
In just 19 months air travelers will need the driver’s license/ID card known as a Real ID if they want to board domestic flights, but as states roll out the new cards there has been both confusion and anxiety.
Oct. 1, 2020, is the day the Real ID law will finally be enforced. Conceived as part of 2005 legislation in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it requires people to show security-enhanced IDs to pass through airport security checkpoints or to enter certain federal facilities, such as military bases.
You can, however, use your passport in lieu of a driver’s license with the Real ID logo.
Many states are marking their drivers’ licenses with a gold or black star in the top right-hand corner. They must also include an encoded machine-readable zone, similar to a passport. Many states already had this feature in use.
So, why the confusion?
If your driver’s license needs to be renewed, you will need to go to the DMV with your passport, birth certificate, Social Security card, or tax form AND two proofs of address.
A “regular” driver’s license won’t work when flying. You won’t be able to go through security. You can use your passport. Likewise, for all international travel…you need your passport.
If you’re like me, my license doesn’t expire for four years. The mandatory date for having my license as a Real ID is prior to that. Guess I will be taking my passport with me on domestic flights.