jis
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IIRC all this Id stuff came in vogue after 9/11 in the US.
AMTRAK and Real IDs
- Thread starter Eric in East County
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I was being a tad bit facetious.
I've never been checked on Greyhound, Jefferson Lines, Express Arrow, or Burlington Trailways. Several times my name has been called out by a driver reading a manifest, in order to make sure that seniors were allowed to board first.
You’re going to need it to fly domestic 05/07 2025
@GariYaMoshi already said he has a passport card. That's compliant and all he'll need. He doesn't need Real ID DL, too.
Just like I'll use my NEXUS card and won't bother with a Real ID DL for myself. Which would have to be an Enhanced DL, since Washington only issues non-compliant regular licenses and EDLs.
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
We do have many freedoms enshrined in law, but such protections can be strengthened or weakened to a surprising degree by reinterpretation of the SCOTUS.Americans live in the land of the free, and are freely forced to show I.D.to travel on Amtrak. Here in Nanny State UK we are free to travel on trains without any I.D.
Qapla
Engineer
I don't fly so won't need a Real ID for that purpose ... but I do have the gold star on my Fl License, so I am good to go.
"IIRC all this Id stuff came in vogue after 9/11 in the US," said jis. Yes, the REAL ID Act was passed in 2005. My Pa. driver's license isn't a "real ID." It's like train crews being "dead on the law." They're not really dead.
Sorry if I'm late to the discussion, but aren't nearly all state DLs compliant with REAL ID? If there's a gold star on the license, it's REAL. I had never heard of an option to choose.
At least in PA it was an option when I got my DL this year. I chose not to get the Real ID since I would just use a passport book or card when flying anyway.
Not in Illinois, they aren't. Although the hubby and I will look into getting the REAL ID version of our IL DLs when it's time to renew.
Just saw a news story this morning that quoted PennDOT as saying that only 56% in the state have REAL ID compliant licenses. There are going to be a lot of flummoxed people come May 7. I didn't consider it a major inconvenience and got one when I last renewed my license. Admittedly, the $30 one time fee might be a bit of a pain point for many.
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Assuming that your passport isn't coming up for renewal soon, or what will you use for ID while it's being renewed? Passports have been taking forever to get renewed lately.
Zephyr pointed out that a real ID is not needed and that’s my bad and he is correct. I think making the effort to obtain a real ID is easier than carrying a passport at all times, especially on a train trip when you may need to fly home.
So I figured it out. People who live in the US, but aren't US citizens, still have to be licensed to drive, but they won't qualify for REAL ID. This means two groups of license holders. In Texas (if I recall correctly) there was no extra fee, but at license renewal time, we had to bring birth certificate and other documentation to comply.
Um, nope. People holding valid residency visas can get Real ID licenses. Both citizens and legal residents can get Real ID licenses.
What they cannot get are Enhanced Driver's Licenses. Only US citizens can get those because they serve as proof of citizenship and can be used as valid ID to cross land borders, which Real IDs can't.
Washington does not offer Real ID licenses. Non-citizens legally residing here can only get the "Federal Limits Apply" regular license. As can illegals, all Washington requires for a regular driver's license or state ID is proof of residency, Washington doesn't deal with or ask about immigration status. Which is why the state is not and will not offer simple Real ID licenses, only regular "Federal Limts Apply" licenses and EDLs requiring US citizenship (and which meet Real ID requirements as far as TSA is concerned).
Texas is not one of the very few states that offer EDLs, so it really makes no difference to you. You couldn't get an EDL anyway because Texas doesn't issue them.
I doubt Texas offers anything but Real ID licenses now (but don't know). Only a few states offer non-Real ID licenses once they come up for renewal. That's probably why you had to show your birth certificate and other documents when you renewed so your license could be renewed as Real ID (because Texas likely has no other options).
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Sure, but I am not carrying my passport at all times and I doubt @GariYaMoshi does either, though I cannot speak for him.
I carry a plastic card that's the same size as a driver's license at all times that TSA will continue to accept as ID even after May 2025. My NEXUS card, which is always in my wallet. @GariYaMoshi can do the same with his passport card, another DL sized card that easily fits into a wallet and acceptable to TSA. Neither of us will need either a Real ID license or a passport to clear TSA checkpoints after May 2025.
I wasn't advocating carrying a passport simply to use for TSA, though that is certainly an option. There are many wallet sized cards that will continue to be acceptable to TSA, TSA Pre-Check, Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, Passport Cards among others. For those of us that live in those few states that will continue to offer non-Real ID compliant driver's licenses, and that also have other, TSA accepted wallet size IDs, do not need to bother to jump through hoops to get a Real ID compliant license just to clear TSA. We have non-passport alternatives to the Real ID license.
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Several states will continue to issue non-Real ID licenses indefinitely and in those states getting or not getting a Real ID one will continue to be a choice. Though they will not carry a gold star and will have something stating they are not Real ID. In Washington, regular licenses do not have a gold star and have "Federal Limits Apply" printed on them.
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That's why we got the passport card. It is the same size as the driver's license and lasts 10 years which is two (or more) renewals of our licenses. You do make a good point and perhaps we should just carry it with us when on trips not including airlines.
BTW - Minnesota was one of the hold-outs on REAL ID.
not true, while you must be a citizen to obtain an enhanced dl in the states that issue them it is not a requirement for REAL ID. If you are legally in the US you can usually obtain one. If you are on something that has time limits as to your legal presence that will be reflected on the DL Some states have chosen to charge extra for REAL over regular, shockingly, NY (which has fees and taxes for everything) does not. An EDL is extra. Many states offer both real and non.
toddinde
OBS Chief
Not sure why anyone would not get Real ID. Bringing the passport along all the time seems like an unnecessary aggravation. Bringing it one time to DMV when you get your Real ID. Too easy.
True about Texas, but the problem here is a Huge Backlog for applying for, or renewing DLs and State Photo IDs.(once you have a Valid Texas DL/ Photo ID you can renew one line or mail until you pass 65)
Currently the,Department of Public Safetyt (DPS)requires one to make an in person appointment to obtain your 1st Texas DL.
Depending on the office you make your appointmemt with,available apoointmemts range from tomorrow up to 3 months in the future!
You can Walk In on a Space Available Basis, with waiting times from 1 Hour to All Day, then you are told to come back, or make an appointment if not getting a slot due to Cancellations or No Shows.( my renewal here in Austin last Feb, where there are 5 offices,took 3 months to get an appointment )
The DPS has asked the Legeslature ( started it's 120 Day Bi,Annual Session yesterday) for an additional $165 Million to hire DL Clerks, since there currently is a Vacancy Rate of around 25% in these positions.
All State issued DLs and Photo IDs have a Gold Star embossed on the Card, which makes them a Valid ID for boarding Domestic Flights.
Some states have chosen to rip off their residents by charging extra, so if you already had a passport and rarely traveled, you might not want to spend the money. I'm still somewhat in shock that NY (which seems to have an extra charge for everything) is not doing it. I went with EDL a while back because of crossing into Canada by car upstate, one less thing to carry or lose.
Because some of us, like @GariYaMoshi and myself, already have handy alternative ID, NEXUS card for me and Passport card for Gari. We will not need to carry passport or a Real ID DL to clear TSA even after May 2025.
Getting an Enhanced Driver's License, the only Real ID compliant license Washington offers, is a pain. It would require an in person appointment with the Department of Licensing, documentation, and paying $7 extra per year for the remaining years on my current license to upgrade, plus increased fees to renew it. My last renewal was valid for 8 years. I think EDLs can only be issued for 5 max, so I might get three years cut off my current license in the bargain.
The two reasons to get an EDL here are to cross into Canada without a passport and clear TSA after May. I can do both with my NEXUS, which is always in my wallet and which I've used instead of my DL at TSA checkpoints for many years now anyway. I don't need another piece of ID to do the same exact things. My current regular license is valid through 2031, and I haven't seen the inside of a DoL office for well over a decade, renewing simply over the internet with the new license arriving by mail.
EDLs have been offered in Washington for several years and the fact that normal licenses would eventually not be good at TSA has been apparent for several years as well. I decided not to get an EDL in light of those facts very deliberately.
As I've said twice before on this thread, I am not a fan of using passport just for TSA, don't do it myself, and don't advocate for others to choose that option. But having to have a Real ID license to clear TSA without using a passport is not the only option for many people.
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