State Senator Janet Nguyen is informing California residents that as of Jan. 22, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be offering REAL ID compliant driver licenses and identification cards. As mandated by the REAL ID Act of 2005, a REAL ID, U.S. Passport or military ID will be required by the federal government to board domestic flights or to access some federal facilities starting on Oct. 1, 2020.
“If you use your driver’s license or ID card to get through airport security or to access a federal facility this will soon change,” said Nguyen. “As a state, we are working diligently to meet the new standards set by the federal government and will be making available REAL ID compliant driver licenses and identification cards at all DMV locations throughout the State of California.”
According to the DMV, residents interested in applying for a REAL ID compliant driver license or identification card must do the following:
– Make an appointment to visit a field office
-Appointments can be made online by visiting www.dmv.ca.gov or by calling 1-800-777-0133.
-Provide proof of identity (for example: U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, certificate of naturalization or citizenship, employment authorization document, permanent resident card, or foreign passport with an approved form I-94).
-Show a California residency document (for example: utility bill, rental agreement, mortgage bill, medical document).
-Present proof of your Social Security Number (for example: Social Security Card, W-2 form, SSA-1099 form, Non-SSA-1099 form, Paystub (with full SSN).
California residents who have a U.S. Passport, Passport Card, Military ID or a Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) approved identification can use these documents to board an airplane or to access federal facilities including military bases. REAL ID compliant driver license and identification cards are not needed to drive, vote, apply for or receive federal benefits, enter a federal facility that does not require identification (for example: post office) or to visit a hospital or receive lifesaving services. Residents under the age of 18 do not need a REAL ID compliant driver license or identification card to fly.
“It is important for residents who do not travel via airplane or who do not access federal facilities to know that REAL IDs are not mandatory. However, for residents who use this mode of transportation or who access federal sites, the DMV is here to help,” said Nguyen.
The cost for a REAL ID driver license or identification card is the same as those currently charged for a standard driver license or identification card. REAL IDs will have a special marking of the California grizzly bear with a star on the top right corner of the card.
For more information on REAL ID, please visit REALID.dmv.ca.gov.
