PORTLAND, Ore. — We’re going to see a big change in airport security across the country in about a year so if you fly, this will effect you.
The TSA is getting stricter about what kind of identification they accept in security lines and it’s a big deal for anyone who has an Oregon driver’s license.
After October 1, 2020 airport security will only accept identification that is compliant with a system called Real ID. That current Oregon driver’s license in your wallet will not cut it because it’s not Real ID compliant.
If you have a passport or passport card, that will continue to work at the airport. Adult passports are good for ten years.
Oregonians that want to fly after October 1, 2020 and don't have a passport or plan on getting a passport before then, you’ll probably have to hit up the DMV for a new license.
The new Real ID compliant Oregon driver’s license and ID cards will have a black circle with a star inside in the upper right hand corner.
Hit the breaks: don’t run to the DMV quite yet. In Oregon, the DMV won’t start issuing Real IDs until the middle of next year and you can’t apply until then. Oregon is one of the last few states to roll them out.
If you’re worried about backlog at the DMV come July 2020 when the state starts issuing, the department says you should get a passport or passport card ASAP because you’ll get that back a lot sooner.
To get a new Real ID next year in Oregon you’ll have to apply and give the DMV certain documents proving your identity, date of birth, social security number, and residency or legal status.
Once Oregon does offer Real ID compliant cards, you’ll have to pay extra to get one. That dollar amount hasn’t been set yet but transportation officials say it will be based on the cost of issuing cards. Currently, they are estimating it may be an additional $20 on top of the fee to replace, renew or issue your license. It costs an extra fee because the legislature wanted to ensure the system is self-supporting and the process requires more time, additional staff hires, and paperwork.
If you choose to get a Real ID and your standard one expires before the state starts issuing you will have to pay for a new ID, then pay again for a Real ID. By the way, you can still legally drive, vote, and prove your identity and age with a standard license and the new real id’s.
Oregon transportation officials say if you already have a compliant identification card, you may want to wait till it’s time to renew to avoid the rush.
Other acceptable forms of identification to board domestic commercial flights include:
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards: (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- State-issued enhanced drivers license
- Federally recognized tribal-issued photo ID
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
Other forms can be found here.
We received a number of questions on social media after this Real ID story aired earlier this week.
We took those questions to David House with the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Answer:
Washington state issues enhanced drivers licenses and ID cards, which are Real ID compliant. The state offers but doesn’t mandate these enhanced licenses, requiring proof of citizenship.
Only U.S. citizens can get them and they’re only accepted for domestic flights, not international. You can use them to travel by land and sea to enter Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean.
If you want to apply for an enhanced ID in Washington, you’ll get it back in two to three weeks. They cost $78 for six years, while the standard Washington card costs $54 for six years.
According to our sister station KREM in Spokane, Washington state started marking standard driver’s licenses with “federal limits apply” last year to be in compliance. All new and renewed standard licenses - which aren't in line with the federal requirements - are marked to indicate they are not Real ID compliant and not acceptable for certain purposes by federal authorities once enforcement begins October 2020.
Answer:
There are Real ID licenses and identification cards. If you don’t drive, you can still get a Real ID.
Answer:
No, this does not replace getting a passport. You still need a passport or passport card for international travel. But, again, your passport can replace a Real ID.
Answer:
Here's the back story: In the wake of the September 11 terror attacks, Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 setting minimum standards for state-issued licenses and IDs to make them more secure. One has to prove they are legally in the united states. Oregon was among many states that passed a law not long after, preventing the DMV from issuing Real IDs.
House says the legislature at the time was concerned about cost to the state because it was ahead of the recession, as well as security issues surrounding the personal information one has to provide to obtain a Real ID.
Fast forward to 2017 when the Oregon legislature passed legislation finally allowing the DMV to comply with the Act. The majority of states were doing so and the federal government ended up setting a hard deadline of October 1, 2020 for compliance.
The Department of Transportation was beginning a major it overhaul and replacing its computer and business system. House says July 2020 is the soonest they can create Real IDs because that is when they will complete the driver licensing portion of the ten-year service transformation program.
The legislature in 2017 decided not to interrupt the undertaking and try to incorporate the new real id system into the decades-old existing system. In addition, the DMV has to scan and store Oregonians’ documents proving identity and legal status in the united states, which they do not currently do.
Answer:
The DMV cannot mail new licenses regardless of whether you have renewed your license recently and provided proof of legal status and identity. Under the Real ID Act, you are required to physically go to the DMV in person and present all required documents. As part of the Act, the state must copy and store those documents.
ODOT has an interactive online tool for you to determine if you need a Real ID.