REAL ID deadline is Wednesday

Have you gotten your “Gold Star” yet? The Mississippi Department of Public Safety says 98 percent of Mississippians have, but the two percent who haven’t will not be able to fly on domestic commercial airplanes or enter military and secure federal facilities after Wednesday, May 7 until they get one.

Wednesday is the deadline for REAL ID, the new government method of verifying identity. While REAL ID is primarily for traveling by air, some federal facilities will require it to enter. 

Passports may also be used for identification instead of a REAL ID, which can be applied for at the Department of Public Safety Drivers Service Bureau, such as the Nesbit and Olive Branch locations in DeSoto County.  Once applied for, your identification card or driver’s license will have a gold star in the upper right corner of the card.  

You can still apply for a REAL ID after the May 7 enforcement deadline. The deadline marks the start of enforcement, not the end of applications. However, if you plan to fly domestically or access certain federal facilities after that date, you’ll need a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative form of identification, such as a passport or military ID.

The REAL ID Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 2005, enacted a 9/11 Commission recommendation that the federal government set standards for the issuance of identification documents. The Act established minimum security standards for license issuance and prohibits federal agencies from accepting licenses or ID cards from states that do not meet those standards for official purposes.

To check if you already have a REAL ID, look for a gold star in the upper-right corner of your driver’s license. If you don’t have one, visit your local Driver Service Bureau.

Remember to bring the the following documents with you when your apply for REAL ID:

• Original birth certificate
• Original Social Security card
• Two proofs of Mississippi residency

You do not need a REAL ID to:

• Vote
• Drive (a regular license is still valid for driving)
• Access hospitals or receive federal benefits
• Travel internationally (a passport is still required)

To schedule an appointment, visit www.driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov.

For more information about REAL ID, visit www.dhs.gov/real-id.