With the REAL ID’s May 7 deadline right around the corner, the Department of Motor Vehicles is urging Californians to apply for the new federally mandated cards.
The deadline does not mean prior identification or driver’s licenses will not be accepted. What it does mean is that anyone 18 years or older now must carry a state REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification to fly domestically within the United States or enter federal buildings.
As of Dec. 1, there were over 18 million REAL ID cardholders.
Passed by Congress in 2005, with the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, the REAL ID Act sought to “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses and identification cards,” according to the Department of Homeland Security.
With the deadlines so close, Californians who haven’t transferred over their IDs are recommended to make an appointment. The DMV has also requested that people seeking other services, including eligible driver’s licenses and vehicle registration renewals, try to complete them online at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv-online/.
The process isn’t too different than applying for a standard California identification card.
The Department of Motor Vehicles requires applicants to bring one of the following forms of identification when applying for a REAL ID:
While the new policy is not the only way to ensure you can continue to fly domestically, it is the easiest.
According to the Transportation Security Administration, the following form of identification can be used to travel domestically instead of a state-issued REAL ID:
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com
What Californians need know about the Real ID before the deadline – The Desert Sun
