REAL ID Deadline Extended After CA DMV Offices Close To Public

CALIFORNIA — The deadline to obtain a REAL ID was extended an extra year and is now October 1, 2021, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The deadline extension is a relief to procrastinators, especially after it was announced that all 170 California Department of Motor Vehicles field offices would be closed to the public indefinitely starting Friday due to the new coronavirus outbreak, according to multiple reports.

A memo sent to employees Thursday directed them to stay home Friday and that they will be placed on paid leave due to health concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, according to the Los Angeles Times, which reviewed the memo.

About 7.6 million state drivers have gotten a REAL ID, but about 16 million drivers still need one, Mercury News reported. Without a REAL ID or a valid passport, residents won't be able to board domestic flights or enter other federal facilities after the deadline.

When the deadline is here, in order to fly within the United States or enter secure federal facilities, residents will be required to show one of the following documents at airport security checkpoints and specific federal screening locations:

• REAL ID driver license or identification card
• Passport or Passport Card
• Global Entry Card
• Other federally approved documents

The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005, and enacted the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the federal government "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses," according to the California DMV website. The Act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards, and every state has a more secure driver license today than before the Real ID Act passed, the California DMV said.

The state has launched a website detailing the steps you need to take in order to get your REAL ID

1. Fill out the application
2. Gather your documents
3. Visit a DMV office

Related: California DMV Offices Close To The Public Amid Coronavirus