Real ID deadline just 11 months away

The U.S. Travel Association is warning that people have just 11 months left to get a Real ID driver’s license before they will be barred from commercial air travel.

The ban approved after 911 takes effect on Oct. 1, 2020.

But it isn’t just air travel that will be impacted when the Real ID law becomes fully effective. People without approved ID will also be barred from entering federal facilities including courthouses, military bases and other secure facilities.

Julie Butler, director of the Department of Motor Vehicles, said there are 865,000 Nevada licensees who either don’t yet have Real ID or whose existing licenses will expire by Oct. 1, 2020.

She urged people who will need a Real ID to make an appointment sooner rather than later because said DMV doesn’t have the staff or facilities to handle it if a huge percentage of them show up in the final month before that deadline.

The Department of Homeland Security, however, says there are some other forms of ID that are acceptable including passport or passport card, a permanent resident registration card, a Department of Defense ID and federally recognized tribal ID cards.

Many people may already have a Real ID without realizing it, according to travel association officials. The Real ID license has a star in the upper right hand corner of the license.

To get a Real ID, residents must show proof of their identity such as a U.S. Birth Certificate, a passport or permanent non-citizen resident car, an employment authorization document or I-94 proof of legal visitor status for international travelers. They will also need their Social Security number, proof of residency such as a utility bill, rent or lease agreement.

For those who changed their name as a result of marriage or divorce, they may also have to show documentation verifying that name change.

Homeland Security officials also warn that people who have a Real ID but move to a different state have to go through the application process all over again. The Real ID doesn’t transfer across state lines.

Travel Association CEO Roger Dow says more than half of Americans are completely unaware of that deadline. He said he, like Butler, is concerned about the potential crunch at state DMV offices as that deadline approaches.

A Real ID, however, isn’t needed to register to vote, apply for federal benefits, obtaining a simple state driver’s licenses or accessing services such as hospitals and clinics or law enforcement.