Real ID was passed by Congress in 2005 as just one of the many laws cascading from the events of 9/11
By Steve Sprague, Bath NY, former TSA Representative
No, we don’t want to know you’re a cat lover or an amateur astrologer. The “Real ID” you’re now reading about is just a way to ensure you are who you say you are. At least for security purposes.
I’m now retired from almost 20 years at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) headquarters but I didn’t check passengers at the airport gates. (Meaning you may leave your shoes on while you read this.) My focus was on highway security. Bridges, roads, truck and bus security, dangerous hazmat control, driver licensing.
It was in that capacity I participated as a TSA rep in the DHS rule-making team that created the rules for Real ID and why I’d like to help my neighbors understand the purpose and its connection your driver’s license.
Real ID was passed by Congress in 2005 as just one of the many laws cascading from the events of 9/11. That tragedy made it crystal clear that America needed to know – and be able to confidently investigate – virtually every person who wants access to “security sensitive” areas. That starts with boarding aircraft but extends to certain federal areas and agencies including federal courthouses, nuclear powerplants and others.
The problem was obvious at that time. What identification assures us the name you give us is the one you were born with, the one you decided to use on your library card or one you made up to get you in a bar in college?
The answer was pretty obvious. Your state driver’s license is the nation’s most common “breeder document.” It’s the one most often used to sign up for other things. More importantly, it’s government-administered under standards commonly used in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
As such, the rules for Real ID were shared with every state licensing agency as an option they could offer to license applicants. If you never plan to fly commercially or access any federal building other than the Smithsonian museums, you don’t need a Real ID-compliant license.
If, however, you want the greatest access, even “just in case,” the compliant license is your easiest path. After May 7, your state license won’t, by itself, get you on a plane. The primary alternative is a current passport since you need such things as a birth certificate or equivalent to get that.
There are, by the way, an estimated 14,000 agencies and sources for birth certificates in this country. As such, your passport is verified proof you’ve passed that test. If you plan to take your passport to the licensing office, make certain is hasn’t expired.
Another obvious problem for us when we worked on the rules was the reality that not everyone has the equivalent to a birth certificate. Despite the last two decades of “everything online,” there are still places in America where bureaucracy hasn’t bothered to care about such things. That’s even more prominent in the case of immigrants, especially from third world countries. Or…bad guys crossing the borders.
In some cases, the establishment of a consistent identity has to start somewhere. It might be a temporary immigration card issued at the border while you seek a visa or work papers. But from that moment on, Real ID demands that your identity can’t change unless it’s done though a lawful and trackable process.
Real ID is not intended to be a national identification card or a slippery way to discover how many essays you copied in high school. Its sole purpose is to establish – once and for all — who you are if you encounter federally-identified secure areas.
Real ID, by the way, also opened the door to “enhanced” driver licenses for states like New York and Arizona where crossing international borders are common, everyday activities. If you’re a Tim Horton addict or a Toronto Raptors fan, you can use your license without carrying your passport everywhere. Not all states offer enhanced licenses.
Similarly, not all states require the same set of documents when you apply for your driver’s license. Despite my involvement in the creation of the Real ID rules and the fact that I moved back here from Virginia with a Real ID license, when I applied for my New York license I was told I needed an original Social Security card.
I’m old. My “original card” is probably crumbled somewhere in the dust of 4 careers, a long-ago war zone or a bad night in a European, Asian or Australian bar. Whatever, I couldn’t get the proper license until I got an authentic new card from SSA.
At this close of this letter, I’ll post some web links for you. The first is the New York State DMV page showing you what extra documents you need to take with you for a new, Real ID-compliant or enhanced license. The second is the DHS page answering your questions about what and why.
Keep in mind, it’s your choice when and how to renew your license other than its official expiration date. And, if nothing else, it’s an opportunity to replace that sour picture you’ve always hated. Much encouraged.
DHS Real ID FAQ: https://www.dhs.gov/real-id
