Politics & Government

Real ID In Maryland Means Your Drivers License Could Be Recalled

You need to obtain your Real ID in Maryland; drivers without it can have their license recalled. You'll need it to fly in 2020.

Here's an example of what your Maryland-issued Real ID will look like; you must have one by October 2020.
Here's an example of what your Maryland-issued Real ID will look like; you must have one by October 2020. (Courtesy of Maryland MVA)

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Maybe you don't typically fly so you haven't tackled the lines at the Motor Vehicle Administration to get a new Maryland driver's license that is Real ID compliant, but it's time to get one, officials say. Residents who have ignored notices can have their driver's license confiscated if they're stopped by police. And if you plan to board an airplane next year, your license must be a Real ID credential or you will need another form of approved identification to board a flight or enter a secure federal facility.

For months Maryland officials have urged residents to gather up the documents they need for the new ID. Now the stakes have been raised, since the MVA has begun recalling drivers licenses. The Department of Transportation says drivers should have received five notices to ask that they come to an MVA office with documents to meet federal Real ID requirements.

If drivers haven't done so, their license is recalled, making the card have invalid. If these people are pulled over by law enforcement, officers will confiscate their driver’s licenses. To remove the recall status from your license, visit the Real ID document guide: www.mva.maryland.gov/odg to collect required documentation and make an appointment to be seen at an MDOT MVA branch as soon as possible.

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"The lines are running longer, and the time is getting shorter," said AAA Mid-Atlantic officials in May. "The number of drivers’ licenses renewals in Maryland has ballooned “from 10,000 a month to 100,000 drivers’ licenses per month,” according to MVA Administrator Christine Nizer. “Sixty percent of Maryland’s almost 3 million licensed drivers must submit new documentation to prove age, identity and residence by October 2020,” according to news reports.

To speed the process of obtaining a Real ID, you must meet the burden of proof, AAA Travel Services says. You will need one proof of identity. Marylanders must also provide one proof of legal presence, plus two proofs of residency of your state or jurisdiction. All the documents required to verify your identity must be originals, including official birth documents issued by a state. Temporary documents and photocopies are not accepted.

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To reduce wait times for Real ID, the Maryland Department of Transportation MVA extended service hours at seven branch offices starting May 7. Under the plan, the Maryland MVA will make more than 3,000 appointments available statewide each day.

Check to see if you already have a Real ID credential. "If you have a star in the upper right-hand corner of your driver’s license, permit, or identification card, you have a Real-ID compliant license,” said Ragina Cooper Averella with AAA Mid-Atlantic. Your renewed driver’s license or identification card will be mailed directly to your home address.

While Real IDs are not needed to vote, you'll need it to board a domestic commercial flight as of October 1, 2020, if you don't have an alternative federally-acceptable identification, such as a valid passport or military ID card. In addition to needing it for a domestic flight, you'll need the Real ID to enter federal offices or military installations if you don't have a passport or military ID card.

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.

Officials encourage Maryland residents to make an appointment on the MDOT MVA website to obtain the secure ID.

Required documentation includes 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 address, such as vehicle registration, insurance card or bank statement. For specific information about what documents you'll need to apply for pre-verification, go to the REAL ID FAQs page.

Find a list of full-service MVA offices, and their hours, here.

Even if you have the newly-designed driver's license or identification card, you may need to submit additional documents in order to be Real ID compliant – visit Maryland's Real ID Lookup Tool to determine Real ID status.

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 October 1, 2020.

Once you receive your Real ID, you'll notice there is a visible difference between it and your standard license. The Real ID will be marked with a gold star, the state says.

If you want to see what the identification cards look like, click here.


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