We are less than 60 days away from the deadline to get a Real ID. If you haven’t updated your driver’s license or ID card, here is what you need to know to make the switch to a Real ID.
Starting May 7, travelers will need a REAL ID to board an airplane, even if they fly domestically.
Florida started issuing Real IDs back in 2010, and is a REAL ID-compliant state.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
WATCH HEREIt's "crunch time," an expert told CNBC.
What is a REAL ID, and why do I need one?
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP
The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 after the publication of the 9/11 Commission Report in an effort to increase security of identification documents, making them more difficult to duplicate.
You need a REAL ID if you need to:
- Access certain federal facilities
- Board federally regulated commercial aircraft
- Enter nuclear power plants
All residents 18 and older who intend to fly domestically or enter these types of facilities will be required to obtain REAL ID-compliant cards.
Local
Do I have a REAL ID?
Look at your current driver's license or state identification card. If it's REAL ID-compliant, it will have a star in the right-hand corner.
How do I get a REAL ID?
To get a REAL ID, you must show up in person at a driver’s license service center or tax collector's office. The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recommends making an appointment before you visit.
If you don't have a Real ID yet, you might face some hurdles as the deadline approaches. DMVs are already overwhelmed with requests for Real ID appointments.
When you do snag an appointment, be sure to come prepared.
U.S. citizens are asked to bring one of the following documents:
- Valid, unexpired U.S. passport
- Original or Certified copy of a birth certificate
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
- Certificate of Naturalization issued by DHS
- Certificate of Citizenship
Non-citizens are asked to bring one of the following documents:
- Valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card – I-551 for Lawful Permanent Residents
- Valid Passport for non-immigrants except for asylum applicants and refugees
- Other government-issued document showing your full name
- Department of Homeland Security document showing proof of lawful presence
- If your name has changed by marriage/divorce, you must have your name changed on your Citizen and Immigration Services (CIS) documents.
In both cases, citizens and non-citizens will need to bring their Social Security Card or proof of their Social Security number, along with two documents that show their principal residence.
I have a passport. Do I still need a REAL ID?
If you are traveling domestically, you do not need a REAL ID if you have a passport. You only need one valid form of identification – your REAL ID or another acceptable alternative, such as a passport, not both.
If you are traveling internationally, you will still need a passport.
Click here for more information on REAL IDs on the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website.
