Real ID Deadline Approaching

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 JEFFERSON CITY — The federal REAL ID enforcement deadline of May 7, 2025, is less than four months away. Currently, 41 percent of the Missouri Department of Revenue’s total document holders have a REAL ID. While a final rule issued at the federal level allows federal agencies to utilize a phased-in approach to card-based enforcement for up to two years beyond the May 7 deadline, the Department is encouraging Missourians to be prepared for all possible scenarios. 

A Missouri-issued REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card will have a star, as shown below, in the upper right-hand corner. A driver license or ID card that is noncompliant with REAL ID will have “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES” in the upper right-hand corner. 

Who will need a REAL ID? 

Under Missouri law, applying for a REAL ID is a choice, and is not mandatory. However, individuals will soon be required to present a REAL ID-compliant document for official purposes including, but not limited to, entering nuclear power plants, accessing federal facilities, and boarding federally regulated domestic flights. If you plan on flying in the future but do not want to apply for a REAL ID, you can present another Transportation Security Administration approved acceptable form of ID such as your U.S. passport. 

A noncompliant driver license or ID card is, and will continue to be, acceptable for verification of identity, driving privileges, verification of age, voting and registering to vote, and other purposes not limited by the REAL ID Act. 

What documents do I need to obtain a REAL ID? 

To apply for a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card, Missourians will need to submit valid, original documents verifying their identity, lawful status, Social Security number, proof of residency, and official name change if needed. For a full list of acceptable documents, click here.Anyone wishing to apply for a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card must notify the person assisting them at the start of their transaction. 

When will REAL ID requirements start being enforced? 

REAL ID will start being enforced on May 7, 2025. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline to ease the burdens caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Where can I apply for a REAL ID? 

Residents can apply for a REAL ID-compliant driver license or non-driver identification card at one of Missouri’s many contract license office locations. The transaction and processing fees for a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card, new or renewal, are the same as for a license or ID card that is noncompliant with REAL ID. Detailed fee information can be found at https://dor. mo.gov/driver-license/ resources/license. html#fees. Duplicate transaction fee waiver provisions may apply for an otherwise eligible first-time REAL ID-compliant card applicant, currently holding a valid document with more than six-months remaining until expiration. 

Why are these changes being made? 

The REAL ID Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in 2005 after the 9/11 Commission recommended the federal government set new standards for the issuance of identification to achieve enhanced security. 

Missourians can learn more about REAL ID at https://dor. mo.gov/driver-license/ issuance/real-id/. Information is also available on the TSA website at tsa.gov/ real-id and on the DHS website at dhs.gov/real-id.