Image courtesy Virginia Department of Transportation
Those who have delayed getting a REAL ID — an upgraded version of a driver’s license required by federal law — may still have their doubts. After all, the requirement that all American citizens have upgraded identity verification was signed by President George W. Bush on May 11, 2005. Nearly 20 years later, it still has not been fully implemented, leaving a slew of lapsed deadlines in its wake.
But according to a U.S. Transportation Security Administration announcement Jan. 13, that extended grace period is about to end. Beginning May 7, a driver’s license or ID card with REAL ID will be required in all 50 states to board commercial flights, access military bases and enter federal facilities that require identification. Another form of federal identification, such as a passport, also will be accepted.
“With three months to go before the deadline,” TSA Federal Security Director Sid Hanna said in February, “now is the time to make a plan for what you will use to verify your identity with TSA when traveling.”
Virginia has been offering REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses, which have stronger security features (such as holograms) and more stringent document requirements than a regular license, since 2018.
An online or paper application with the DMV must be complemented with one proof of identity; two proofs of Virginia residency; one proof of legal presence; proof of Social Security number; proof of name change, if applicable; and a $10 surcharge, plus the cost of the license or ID card.
Proof of identity can include an official birth certificate, a passport, a U.S. Certificate of Citizenship or a U.S. Certificate of Naturalization. Two proofs of Virginia residency can include a valid Virginia driver’s license, mortgage statements or lease agreements, or recent utility bills.
Despite the changes, a typical driver’s license will still be sufficient for driving, voting, accessing health services, and applying for and receiving federal benefits.
