REAL ID deadline less than a year away
Jeremy Pittari
Magnolia Tribune
The full enforcement deadline for Real ID use is less than a year away.
REAL ID is a secure form of identification that meets federal security standards for state issued
licenses, driver license permits or identification cards.
The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 in response to a recommendation by the
9/11 Commission. The Act set forth a set of standards for anti-counterfeiting security measures
using documents and records to provide assurance that the identity of a person is accurate.
The original deadline for full enforcement of REAL ID forms of identification was May 3, 2023,
but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that deadline was moved to May 7, 2025.
Persons 18 or older who wish to access particular federal buildings, board a commercial airliner
that is federally regulated, or want to enter a nuclear power plant will need a REAL ID.
The Mississippi Driver’s Service Bureau began implementation of the new REAL ID licenses in
2018. REAL IDs are not necessary to drive, vote, conduct banking transactions, apply for
federal benefits or enter a hospital, federal court or a post office.
To obtain a REAL ID at a Mississippi driver’s license station, applicants will need to bring their
social security card, birth certificate, and two forms of proof of residency that show the applicant
lives within this state.