REAL ID deadline is one year away. What Californians need to know
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — After several deadline extensions, most recently in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Homeland Security officials have once again set the REAL ID deadline, and it’s approaching faster than any of us would like to admit.
Planning to fly or visit a federal facility in the near future? May 7, 2025 is the date you need to know.
You may have a REAL ID already: How to know
A REAL ID is a federally accepted driver’s license or ID card. Getting one is optional, however you will need one to fly within the U.S. or to enter any federal buildings like military bases and federal courthouses after the deadline.
Passed by Congress in 2005 following a 9/11 Commission recommendation, the REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards of incorporating anti-counterfeiting technology, preventing insider fraud, and using documentary evidence and record checks to ensure a person is who they claim to be, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and four of five U.S. territories are already issuing REAL IDs ahead of the federal deadline.
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Once the deadline is here, every air traveler 18 and older will need a REAL ID. There are some exceptions like if you have a U.S. passport, passport card, military ID, enhanced driver’s license, or other federally accepted identification.
TSA does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling within the U.S. so parents don’t need to worry about getting their kids a REAL ID.
To apply for a REAL ID, Californians can visit REALID.dmv.ca.gov to fill out the online application and upload any required documents like proof of identity, proof of California residency and their social security number. They must then visit a DMV office in person.
If you choose not to get a REAL ID, you will get a driver’s license or ID card that states “Federal Limits Apply.”
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Initially set to go into effect in 2008, the REAL ID deadline has been postponed several times. The deadline is now just one year away — May 7, 2025.
Most recently, the deadline was extended from April 2021 to May 2023, then again from May 3, 2023 to the current May 7, 2025.
As of January 2024, nearly 16.9 million Californians have a REAL ID.
Do you still need to get your REAL ID? Visit California’s DMV website for everything you need to know. Visit dhs.gov/real-id for a countdown to the deadline, an interactive tool to find out if you’re ready, and a state-by-state guide to getting a REAL ID.
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