In a move that shouldn’t surprise anyone at this point, the Department of Homeland Security is once again delaying the requirement to have a Real ID for air travel. The last deadline was in October 2020 but was postponed by one year to October 2021 because of COVID.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that the date has been pushed back again, this time to May 3, 2023.
There have been many problems with the Real ID program since its creation in response to the 9/11 attacks. The biggest hurdle was getting all 50 states to comply with the requirements of the program. That roadblock was finally cleared in 2020 when every state finally issued Real ID-compliant Drivers Licenses and Identification Cards.
However, just offering the cards isn’t enough. You need to get one to everyone in your state who wants to use it to get through the security checkpoint at the airport. Currently, only 43% of all licenses in the US are Real ID compliant.
To make things more difficult, many states require people to apply for a Real ID Drivers License in person. With COVID shutting down DMV offices and limiting capacity and requiring appointments due to social distancing, the DHS is giving states another 19 months to get the updated ID to all residents.
Who’s taking odds if this will finally be the last delay to enforcing the new rules?
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
3 comments
I went to the DMV in Chicago to renew my expired license and get the Real ID. I thought I had all the documentation but of course my pay stub had recently changed to only show the last four of my SSN (instead of the whole thing as it did last year). I was dreading having to go back to get the Real ID but looks like i can procrastinate to 2023! Appreciate the heads up
A few states still charge extra for a Real ID driver’s license. (mind control as a non-Real ID driver’s license is not a Fake ID). I object to that. I like the states where you can choose Real ID or non-Real ID for the same cost.
Got a passport and a global entry don’t need real ID either works instead of real ID