REAL ID Deadline Approaching For PA Residents: What To Know

UPDATE: The REAL ID deadline has been extended again for Pennsylvanians. MORE.

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HARRISBURG, PA — With just six months left until the federal enforcement of REAL ID begins for commercial domestic air travel, Pennsylvania officials are reminding residents to prepare.

Officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said residents who want a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or photo ID card should get their documents together as soon as possible to avoid missing the deadline.

Starting in October 2021, drivers' licenses and state IDs that are not REAL ID-compliant will not be accepted as identification by federal authorities.

While REAL IDs are optional, you'll need some form of acceptable identification to board domestic flights and access federal buildings if you do not obtain one. Other IDs that will be accepted to fly or get into a federal building include a U.S. passport or a military ID.

“Although October may seem far away right now, we encourage our customers who want a REAL ID to get one as soon as possible,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “We continue to focus on providing the best possible customer service to all of our customers as the federal deadline approaches.”

The REAL ID Act was passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to establish minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. Pennsylvania received several extensions to implement the requirements.

The federal Department of Homeland Security postponed the enforcement date for REAL ID from October 1, 2020, to October 1, 2021, in response to COVID-19.

PennDOT said so far, it has issued approximately 1.1 million REAL IDs. The agency had projected that 1.3 million in Pennsylvania would get a REAL ID prior to the federal deadline.

A REAL ID has a one-time fee of $30, plus a renewal fee.

The current renewal fee is $30.50 for a four-year, non-commercial driver's license, $31.50 for a photo ID.

To get a REAL ID you'll need the following documents:

• Proof of identity: Original or certified copy of a birth certificate filed with the State Office of Vital Records/Statistics with a raised seal/embossed or valid, unexpired, U.S. passport
• Proof of Social Security Number: Social Security card, in current legal name
• Two proofs of current, physical Pennsylvania address: Current, unexpired Pennsylvania driver's license or identification card, vehicle registration or a utility bill with the same name and address
• Proof of all legal name changes (if applicable): Certified marriage certificate(s) issued by the County Court for each marriage, court order(s) approving a change in legal name, or amended birth certificate issued by the State Office of Vital Records/Statistics

There are three ways to get a REAL ID:

• If you've been pre-verified, you can order your REAL ID online and receive it in the mail within 15 business days.
• You can visit one of PennDOT's 63 Driver's License Centers, have your documents verified, and pay the one-time fee. Your REAL ID will be mailed to you within 15 business days.
• You can visit one of the 12 REAL ID Centers to have documents verified, pay the one-time fee, and receive the REAL ID over the counter at that time.

More information on REAL IDs in Pennsylvania can be found here.