Time to Get Real About REAL ID

Logan Cyrus

By Linda H. Lamb

While Gene and Gayle Esarove aren’t globe-trotting jet-setters, they do fly to Texas every year to visit their son, and they have other family members scattered all over the country.

That’s why they did all the paperwork for the federally required REAL ID even before it became available in South Carolina earlier this year. By October 2020, everyone who wants to board a commercial flight will have to show a new, REAL ID driver’s license or an equivalent secure ID. A regular driver’s license won’t be enough.

“We wanted to make sure we had the REAL ID if we needed it,” said Gene Esarove, 77, of Tega Cay. “Most people I know are always traveling—flying somewhere to start a cruise, visiting their grandkids. They’re going to need it, too.”

REAL IDs meet more stringent federal standards of proof than typical state identification documents, such as a driver’s license.

President George W. Bush signed the REAL ID Act into law in May 2005 as a national security measure. Some critics, including then-Gov. Mark Sanford (R), raised concerns about federal overreach. But after years of delays, it’s time to get real about the REAL ID.

“It’s not something to panic about, but people need to understand the process,” said Patrick Cobb, communications director for AARP South Carolina.

“There’s a lot of documentation to submit. It could be time-consuming and, in some cases, it could be difficult,” he said. “We’d hate for people to get to the TSA gate and not have the documents they need for a trip they’ve been planning for years.”

The documents you’ll need
Lauren Phillips, spokeswoman for the Department of Motor Vehicles, said the important deadline is Oct. 1, 2020. As of that date, you’ll need the REAL ID or other federally approved identification (such as a valid passport) to board a commercial flight, enter a secure federal building or nuclear facility, or visit a military installation.

If you won’t be doing any of these things, “simply renew your driver’s license as normal when it expires,” Phillips said.

The REAL ID, marked with a star, will replace the regular driver’s license for those who want it, but the cost will be the same. A regular license or ID card will still allow people to drive, register to vote, serve on a jury and receive government benefits.

But getting the REAL ID will be a bit more complicated. You’ll need to provide:

• Proof of your identity, such as an original birth certificate or valid U.S. passport.
• Proof of your Social Security number, such as your Social Security card or a W-2 form that has your number, name and employer’s name.
• Proof of any legal name change (e.g., a marriage license).
• Two documents showing your current address, like a driver’s license and a recent utility bill.

The state Division of Vital Records holds birth certificates for people born in South Carolina. Phillips advises those born in another state to contact the equivalent state office to get a birth certificate, if needed.

Gene Esarove said he didn’t have to provide his birth certificate, because he has a valid passport. But he had to make a second trip to the DMV to provide his Social Security card. And his wife had to send away to Illinois for her birth certificate.

The process “didn’t take long once we had all the right stuff,” Esarove said. The DMV’s website and social media sites offer details on REAL ID requirements. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security also answers questions about REAL ID on its website, dhs.gov/realid.

Linda H. Lamb is a writer living in Columbia.