What is REAL ID?

The REAL ID Act is a federal law that affects how states issue driver’s licenses and ID cards if they are going to be accepted for federal purposes, such as boarding domestic flights or entering secure military installations or federal facilities that require ID.

Beginning October 1, 2020, the federal government will require you to present a REAL ID compliant credential, or another federally approved form of ID, in order to board a domestic flight or enter a secure federal facility.

You can get either a REAL ID license or ID or a standard driver’s license or ID. If you choose to stick with a standard license or ID, the next time you renew, it will display “Federal Limits Apply.”

If you do not get a REAL ID, you must have an alternate form of federally accepted identification (valid U. S. passport, U.S. Department of Defense ID, Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), etc.) to board a domestic flight or enter a secure federal facility beginning October 1, 2020.

Here is the full list of federally accepted identification:

• U.S. passport
• U.S. passport card
• DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
• Permanent resident card
• Border crossing card
• Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
• HSPD-12 PIV card
• Foreign government-issued passport
• Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
• Transportation Worker Identification Credential
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential

 

There is a fee for this service.  According to Russell Love:

There is a onetime $10 fee on top of normal DMV fees.  So, if you are doing a Reissue with the indicator, it would a fee of $30.

If you are doing a Renewal with the REAL ID, it would be $42 (min.).

Cash/Check/Card are accepted as payment