Real ID Florida: How To Beat The Deadline

FLORIDA — Florida authorities are reminding residents to get to a Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office soon to get a Real ID-compliant driver's license or other approved ID ahead of next year's federal deadline. While Florida began offering the secure ID in 2010, the national deadline countdown has begun. You'll need the new ID, with a star in a circle in the upper right corner, if you plan to fly or enter any military base or federal building as of Oct. 1, 2020.

Real IDs will be needed to board a domestic commercial flight as of Oct. 1, 2020, if you don't have an alternative federally-acceptable identification, such as a valid passport or military ID card. Effective immediately, some military bases may no longer accept non-Real ID compliant credentials which display "Federal Limits Apply."

The REAL ID Act was passed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to establish minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards.

You can find frequently asked questions about Real ID on the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website.

Required documents to obtain the more secure ID include identification (original or certified copy of a birth certificate with a raised seal or valid U.S. passport), a Social Security card, W-2 form, proof of legal name changes, and two proofs of your Florida address, such as vehicle registration, insurance card or bank statement.

Transportation Security Administration officers who check tickets at airports will not allow travelers into the checkpoint without a REAL ID license or another form of acceptable ID after Oct. 1, 2020.