Starting Wednesday, May 7, all Floridians must have a REAL ID before boarding a plane in the U.S. or entering most federal and military buildings and nuclear plants.
The new requirement was put in place by a 2005 act of Congress aimed at reducing the threat of terrorism in the US.
To check to see if a driver’s license or state-issued ID is a REAL ID, look for a gold star in the top right hand corner.
No star? It’s not a REAL ID.
Floridians can fly without one, using a U.S. passport instead, but everyone is encouraged to get a REAL ID at a DMV office this year.
The cost of a REAL ID is $48 dollars plus a processing fee.
Most Floridians who got a driver's license after 2010 already have a REAL ID.
But even these residents whose legal name changed due to a marriage, divorce, or other court order, still need to head to the DMV to update their ID.
To apply for a REAL ID, people will need to bring proof of their legal name, birthday, legal status, social security number, and proof of address to their local DMV.
Here’s a list of documents you can bring to the DMV to get your REAL ID:
“For U.S. Citizens:
- Valid, unexpired U.S. passport
- Original or Certified copy of a birth certificate
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad
- Certificate of Naturalization issued by DHS
- Certificate of Citizenship
For cases where the current name and the name on the primary identity document are different, you should also bring:
- Court ordered name change document
- Marriage certificate, issued by the courts and/or
- Divorce decree, issued by the courts
For Non-Citizens:
- Valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card – I-551 for Lawful Permanent Residents
- Valid Passport for non-immigrants except for asylum applicants and refugees
- Other government issued document showing your full name
- Department of Homeland Security document showing proof of lawful presence
- If your name has changed by marriage/divorce, you must have your name changed on your Citizen and Immigration Services (CIS) documents.
Both Citizens and Non-Citizens will need to bring:
- Your Social Security Card or proof of your social security number. A list of documents that provide proof of the social security number can be found on our What to Bring page.
- Two documents that show your principal residence. A list of these kinds of documents can be found on our What to Bring page”
Click here to find your nearest site to get a REAL ID.
