WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he will extend the October deadline for Americans to get a “Real ID” in order to fly domestically or enter certain federal buildings in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
“At a time when we’re asking Americans to maintain social distancing, we do want to require people to go with their local DMV,” Trump said at Monday’s coronavirus briefing. “We will be announcing the new deadline very soon.”
Airports and Department of Motor Vehicles administrators had expressed concern about the Oct. 1 deadline before the virus outbreak and said that not enough Americans had Real IDs or even possessed the proper identification documents, Fox Business reports.
Eventually, you will need the Real ID driver’s license or identification card to pass through security checkpoints at airports and secure federal facilities. That includes for domestic flights. There are some exceptions for other forms of approved identification, including passports and military IDs.
Residents do not need a Real ID to drive, apply for federal benefits, vote or enter a federal facility that doesn’t require a form of identification (such as the post office). Those under the age of 18 also will not be required to have a Real ID to board a domestic flight.
The new requirements are a result of the federal Real ID Act of 2005, which was passed in response to the Sept. 11 terror attacks. It essentially standardized ID requirements for all states, marking the biggest change to driver’s licenses in years, according to the release.
