Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office is urging Pennsylvania residents to get their REAL ID soon with the federal REAL ID enforcement deadline looming.
Following years of delays, that deadline is May 7. After that, a REAL ID or passport will be necessary for flying domestically.
“As the weather starts getting warmer, we know many Pennsylvanians have made exciting travel plans,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said in a news release. “With federal REAL ID enforcement beginning 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.
What is REAL ID?
REAL ID is an optional form of identification that Pennsylvania residents can get as part of their driver’s license or state ID.
It is part of a federal law that affects how states issue driver’s licenses and ID if they are going to be acceptable for federal purposes, like boarding a domestic flight or going into a military facility that requires it, .
What you need to get a REAL ID?
Those wanting to get a REAL ID will need to provide proof of identity, such as a certified copy of a birth certificate or passport, proof of social security number, two proofs of current Pennsylvania address and proof of legal name changes, according to the state.
PennDOT may have the REAL ID documentation on file for those who got their first driver’s license after Sept. 1, 2003. To find out if PennDOT has those on file, residents may apply for pre-verification online REAL ID may also be ordered online.
Does REAL ID cost more?
A customer will pay a one-time fee of $30 for their first REAL ID, plus applicable renewal fee, which is currently $39.50 for a four-year license and $42.50 for a photo ID, according to the release. Customers will only be charged renewal fees after that.
They will receive their REAL ID in the mail within 15 days if the application was done at a driver license center, or over the counter if it was done at one of the state’s 15 REAL ID Centers, according to the release.
PennDOT is hosting REAL ID days at license centers to help people get theirs. A number of СŷƵ license centers will be holding those events through the beginning of May. The schedule can be found .
