REAL ID requirement for air travel extended by 19 months

April 29, 2021 | 12:08 am

Updated April 28, 2021 | 10:27 pm

Graphic by Owensboro Times

The requirement to obtain a REAL ID for air travel has been extended by 19 months. The deadline was supposed to be Oct. 1, but the Department of Homeland Security announced this week that has been pushed to May 3, 2023.

“The pandemic has significantly impacted states’ ability to issue REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards, with many driver’s licensing agencies still operating at limited capacity,” a release from DHS reads.

According to the DHS, REAL IDs will now be required for all air travelers 18 and older by May 2023, unless the individual has an identification card, state-issued enhanced driver’s license or another TSA-acceptable form of identification at airport security checkpoints for domestic air travel. 

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said the DHS’ top priority was protecting the health, safety and security of its communities. 

“As our country continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, extending the REAL ID full enforcement deadline will give states needed time to reopen their driver’s licensing operations and ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card,” Mayorkas said. 

The extension comes just months after Daviess County Fiscal Court and State Representative Suzanne Miles worked tirelessly to secure a regional REAL ID office for Daviess County. 

The regional REAL ID center officially opened Jan. 26 and is located at 2620 KY 81.

Application for a REAL ID must be done in person, with proof of residence, social security and identification. Any required driver testing, which is conducted by the Kentucky State Police, must be completed beforehand. 

Those seeking a REAL ID must visit drive.ky.gov to set up appointments for their REAL ID. Appointments can be scheduled through the website after clicking the “Renew Driver’s License” tab and selecting Owensboro as the site for ID renewal. 

Those seeking to renew or replace a standard-issue license or ID card can do so by mail or drop-off with the circuit court clerk in the license holder’s county of residence, provided there has been no change of name or address, and the license holder does not require driver testing by the Kentucky State Police. 

April 29, 2021 | 12:08 am

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