PHILADELPHIA – It has been years since we heard about the need to get a REAL ID for any domestic flying in the U.S., but after multiple delays, the deadline is here.
Government agencies say you have just over two months to get it.
What we know:
In Pennsylvania, obtaining a REAL ID is optional. However, starting May 7, travelers will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID card, or another form of federally-acceptable identification (such as a valid passport or military ID) to board a domestic commercial flight, and enter military bases and other federal facilities that require ID at the door.
Anyone looking to travel will need a REAL ID-compliant license or a passport to board domestic flights and enter federal buildings.
“May 7, which is 64 days away, you will need a Real ID-compliant driver’s license or REAL ID-compliant identification card to board a domestic flight,” said Jana Tidwell, Manager of Public Affairs for PA and DE AAA.
If you have a valid passport, a REAL ID is optional, but officials say if you like the convenience of traveling with just a license, it might be worth it.
“Your passport is your golden ticket. If you have that, that will get you through TSA and onto your flight,” Tidwell added.
A passport is still needed for international travel.
Federal REAL ID regulations require PennDOT to verify a list of documents.
How to prepare
The first thing to do to prepare for your REAL ID is to check and see if you need one.
In Pennsylvania, you do not need a REAL ID in order to drive, vote, access hospitals, visit the post office, access federal courts, or apply for/receive federal benefits such as social security or veterans’ benefits.
The REAL ID online wizard may help you determine if a REAL ID is right for you.
Next, you will want to get your documents together.
PennDOT officials will have to verify original versions or certified copies of multiple documents.
Those documents include proof of identity, proof of social security number, two proofs of current, physical Pennsylvania address and proof od all legal name changes (if applicable).
Some non-U.S. citizens may be required to present additional documentation.
Learn more about REAL ID documentation requirements and download a printable document checklist on PennDOT’s REAL ID Document Check page..
What they’re saying:
Officials say they want the message to reach people without passports and without REAL IDs who think they won’t need to fly.
“As the weather starts getting warmer, we know many Pennsylvanians have made exciting travel plans,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “With federal REAL ID enforcement beginning on May 7, your travel planning should include making sure you have proper ID to fly. If you want to keep using your driver’s license or photo ID card to fly domestically, you’ll need to upgrade to a REAL ID if you haven’t already.”
“I’m here to tell you that the day will come, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not today, but somewhere in the future, where they have to fly, and absent the REAL ID, when they show up at the PHL airport or any airport across the country, it’s gonna be ugly,” Tidwell warned.
“Many people feel that ‘I don’t fly, I don’t fly at all, I’m not going to bother,’ and they likely don’t have a passport either. But we all know that life happens, and there will be circumstances—unfortunate family circumstances—where you need to fly, and it’s not just an overnight fix to get that REAL ID if you need it in a hurry,” she explained.
When it comes to the travelers at Philadelphia International Airport today, their opinions were mixed.
“I’m not gonna get a REAL ID because I already have a passport, and I already paid, so I don’t want to incur the additional expense,” said Heidi Meyers.
“It’s always so crowded at the DMV,” Meyers added.
“I’m just gonna do it before May 7,” said Ivan Juzang. “It’s just keeping things moving. It’s all about actually trying to be in the shortest line,” he noted.
What’s next:
PennDOT is hosting a series of REAL ID Days at driver license centers across the commonwealth to help Pennsylvanians obtain a REAL ID before the enforcement deadline. REAL ID Days are held on Mondays when the centers are typically closed.
For more information on REAL ID, visit PennDOT’s REAL ID website.
More resources are available to obtain a REAL ID in New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Delaware.
The Source: The information in this story is from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and said Jana Tidwell, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
