@Gefn
Be sure and check with your DMV about that ID you will need. Birth Certificate for sure, and possibly a utility bill to verify address.
Here’s what you need in Pennsylvania:
Gather Your Documents
The best thing you can do to prepare for REAL ID is to get your documents together. Federal regulations require that PennDOT must verify original versions or certified copies of the following documents for a customer before issuing a REAL ID:
• Proof of identity: Original or certified copy of a birth certificate filed with the state office of vital records with a raised/embossed seal — issued by an authorized government agency — or valid, unexpired U.S. Passport or passport card.
• Proof of Social Security number: Social Security card.
• Two proofs of current, physical PA address (if applicable): Examples include current, unexpired PA license or ID, PA vehicle registration, auto insurance card or utility bill with the same name and address.
• Proof of all legal name changes: Certified marriage certificate, court order, or divorce decree issued by your county's family court.
The thing is, when I moved from Maryland to Pennsylvania in 2009, even though I had an unexpired Maryland driver’s license that I first got in 1979 at age 18 - never expired - perfect driving record BTW, not a single ticket, I had to provide all of the above listed documents to get a Pennsylvania driver’s license – the very same documents as required to get a “real IDâ€.
When I moved to PA, at the time I was out of work and had moved in with my niece, so most of my belongings were in storage, it wasn’t easy - three separate trips to Penn DOT before I had everything they required.
At first I couldn’t find my birth certificate, even after tearing through and unpacking boxes in the stuffed storage unit (my niece’s husband was a dear and climbed over boxes and furniture looking for my metal “strong box†but when I did find it, it didn’t have an embossed seal even though IIRC this was the BC I used to get my SS card, so I had to order a certified copy from NY State where I was born. Thankfully I was able to do this on line rather than going to NY in person. I only had to answer some BS questions, mostly confirming prior addresses and pay a fee, got in the mail about a week later.
Then I couldn’t find proof of my married name, no copy of my marriage certificate (I think my ex had it but claimed he couldn’t find it) so I had to drive to Maryland to the county court house where my divorce was filed to obtain a copy of my divorce decree. Getting a copy of my divorce decree was easier, cost less than getting my marriage certificate, and who knows, someday I may want to get married again (nope
).
Next, since I was living with a relative, I didn’t have any utility bills in my name and I pay all my bills on line and have paperless billing and paperless bank statements. I printed out a copy of my electronic bank statement and my cell phone bill that showed my name and current address but had to fight with Penn-Dot for them to accept it because I didn’t have, according to the Penn-Dot clerk, “the mailing envelope a bill should come in†and I printed the bank statement and cell phone bill (and according to the clerk a cell phone bill isn’t a utility) from the world wide interwebs. I had to get not one but two supervisors involved. Ug!
I had to get a US Passport for a business trip to the UK in 2012 so I have that now and it doesn’t expire until 2023. Even though the business trip came up suddenly and required me to get an expedited passport by going in person to the Prothonotary at the court house, it wasn’t nearly as painful as dealing with Penn-DOT just to get my PA driver’s license. I (rather my company) paid the extra cost for the expediting but I got it in about a week. IIRC all I had to provide was my certified BC, my SS card, my picture ID (PA driver’s license) and proof of the reason for my business trip, an itinerary printed on company letterhead.
The lesson learned and after having moved 4 more times since 2009 and currently living with a roommate with some of my furniture and other household stuff in storage again, is I make sure I have all my identity documents in a binder that goes with me, on my person, never boxed up, never put in storage.
But since I had to provide all of the above documents to get my PA license back in 2009, my question is why do I have to go through this again to get “Real IDâ€. I mean, I’ve already done this.
The thing I find really funny is that when I moved back in April, I changed my address for my license and my vehicle registration on-line, not in person, no proof of my address or my identity was required. So the proof of my current physical address if I use my PA license and auto registration to get my “Real IDâ€, didn’t require any proof. Think about that!
I’ll probably get a “real ID†because I don’t what to carry my passport around with me unless I’m going overseas.
While I’m not planning on taking any domestic flights or entering a Federal Facility (that requires ID) or a Military Base anytime soon, I’d rather bite the bullet now than be caught off guard.
And I am planning a vacation to the UK next year so as long as my passport is good….and now that I have a US passport, even if I don’t plan on using it, I will keep renewing it. Who knows when I might want to leave the country in a hurry.
