DHS Extends REAL ID Enforcement Deadline to 2023
The deadline for air travelers to have a REAL ID has been moved previously, and the Department of Homeland Security has decided to move it again.
The new deadline is now May 1st, 2023, and starting on May 3rd, 2023, Minnesotans will not be able to use their regular driver's license to board domestic flights or enter federal facilities, only a REAL ID will be accepted.
DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says, "As our country continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, extending the REAL ID full enforcement deadline will give states needed time to reopen their driver's licensing operations and ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card."
Minnesotans could begin to get their REAL IDs in 2018 and the deadline to have them, before this change, was going to be October 1st of this year.
As of March 31st, 2021 only 23.28% of Minnesotans have made the transition to the new REAL ID. During 2020 the percentage of Minnesota residents with a REAL ID went from 10.72% to 20.16%, so progress was made, but many more people will need to make the change if they plan to fly or visit a federal building after May 3rd, 2023.
To get a REAL ID residents will need to provide a document that proves date of birth and legal presence in the U.S., two documents proving current residency in Minnesota, and one document with their social security number. Check out the video below for all the details.