Washington Department
of Licensing takes steps to comply with Real ID Act
New marking to be added
to all standard-issue driver licenses and ID cards
Olympia – Starting July 1, 2018,
the Department of Licensing (DOL) will begin marking all standard driver
licenses and ID cards with the language, “federal limits apply.” The change
aims to bring Washington into compliance with the federal Real ID Act, which
requires all states to mark identification documents that do not comply with
the federal law. Under Legislation signed (app.leg.wa.gov) by Gov. Jay Inslee,
DOL expects to be in full compliance with the REAL ID Act by fall 2018.
Over the next two years, all Washington
residents will have to make a choice about their identity documents. By October
1, 2020, standard driver licenses and ID cards will no longer be an acceptable
form of identification for boarding domestic flights and entering some secure
federal facilities, like military bases and nuclear power plants. DOL’s
enhanced driver licenses (EDLs) and enhanced ID (EIDs) cards are Real ID
compliant, and valid for travel as are passports, permanent resident cards and
military IDs.
Standard driver license and ID cards can
continue to be used for the following:
- Driving
- Applying
for or receiving federal benefits
- Entering
a federal facility that does not require ID (post office)
An enhanced driver license or ID card is
completely voluntary and optional. Some commonly needed documents to get and
EDL/EID are certified birth certificate, U.S. passport or military ID. A full list of document options to obtain an enhanced driver license or
ID card is available on the DOL website.
“If you know you will not be flying or
already have a federally approved document such as a U.S. passport, passport
card or military ID, you do not need an enhanced driver license or ID card,”
said DOL Director Pat Kohler. “There is plenty of time to educate
yourself on all options and choose the identification that works best for you.”
For a full list of
federally accepted documents and information about REAL ID and what it means
for Washington, visit the DOL website.
###
|