WASHINGTON — The deadline to get a REAL ID will be extended October 1, 2021, a year past the current deadline, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
President Trump on Monday announced that the 2020 deadline will be delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, he did not say what a new deadline would be. Acting Secretary Chad Wolf released a statement on Thursday extending the deadline 12 months.
The original deadline marked the date when those without a Real ID-compliant license or passport would have not be able to board domestic flights, visit a military base or enter some federal buildings.
"Due to circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the national emergency declaration, the Department of Homeland Security, as directed by President Donald J. Trump, is extending the REAL ID enforcement deadline beyond the current October 1, 2020 deadline," Acting Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement. "I have determined that states require a twelve-month delay and that the new deadline for REAL ID enforcement is October 1, 2021. DHS will publish a notice of the new deadline in the Federal Register in the coming days."
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To get a REAL ID, individuals must provide specific documentation proving full legal name, date of birth, social security number, two proofs of address of principal residence and lawful status. However, to do so would require going to a local DMV, something that officials advise against because of social distancing.
The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005, and it makes the federal government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses.”
The Act established requirements for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and prohibits federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet the requirements.