REAL ID Deadline Pushed Again Into 2023
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — People who still haven't gotten their REAL ID have gotten yet another reprieve – the Department of Homeland Security says they will again postpone enforcement through 2024.
The pandemic has impacted the ability of states to issue REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses and ID cards, and many DMVs are still operating at limited capacity, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The Department of Homeland Security had already delayed enforcement until Oct. 1, 2021, but that date has been pushed again to May 3, 2023.
"As our country continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, extending the REAL ID full enforcement deadline will give states needed time to reopen their driver's licensing operations and ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card," Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.
The REAL ID will be required of every air traveler 18 years or older, or to enter a federal facility or military base. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four of the five U.S. territories are covered by the REAL ID ACT, but only 43 percent of all state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards are currently REAL ID compliant, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Californians who want to apply for a REAL ID must visit a DMV office and provide proof of legal identity, their Social Security number, and two proofs of California residency, like a utility bill or bank statement.