Illinois Coronavirus: REAL ID Deadline Extended 1 Year

ILLINOIS — The Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday the REAL ID deadline has been pushed back a year to October 2021 amid the global turmoil of the new coronavirus. The original deadline was Oct. 1, 2020, but the Illinois Secretary of State's Office recently announced that all offices and driver service facilities are closed through at least April 7 as the state's number of coronavirus approached 2,600.

REAL ID will be eventually be necessary for domestic air travel and for getting onto military bases or secure federal facilities.

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"The federal, state and local response to the spread of the Coronavirus here in the United States necessitates a delay in this deadline," Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement. "Our state and local partners are working tirelessly with the Administration to flatten the curve and, therefore, we want to remove any impediments to response and recovery efforts. States across the country are temporarily closing or restricting access to DMVs."

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