REAL ID enforcement date delayed (again) until May 3, 2023

With the pandemic limiting access to licensing services throughout the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is granting more time to make sure you have REAL ID-compliant identification. Enforcement of the REAL ID Act, which strengthens ID standards for air travel, won’t begin until May 3, 2023 — years later than originally planned. The deadline was also postponed last year, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began. Read more about REAL ID news here.

A reminder about the federal marking on licenses and ID cards

Standard driver licenses (DL) and ID cards issued after July 1, 2018, are marked with the term FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY. This indicates the document is not valid for federal purposes. When REAL ID goes into effect May 3, 2023, you will need more than a standard driver’s license to travel by plane. Meanwhile, standard  DL/ID cards with or without the Federal Limits Apply marking are valid documents to travel by air. The federal marking does not affect your ability to drive legally within the U.S. The marking is the same regardless of your citizenship or immigration status, and cannot be used as evidence or as a basis to determine an individual’s citizenship or immigration status for any purpose.

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