American Military News by Rick Moriarty 5/4/2021
The Department of Homeland Security has pushed back the deadline for air travelers to get
Real ID-compliant driver’s licenses.
The DHS said it is extending the Real ID enforcement date by 19 months, from Oct. 1, 2021, to May 3, 2023, because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
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, the department said.
Only 43% of all state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards are currently Real ID-compliant. In addition, DHS and various states need time to implement requirements mandated by the Real ID Modernization Act, including changes that will streamline processing by allowing the electronic submission of certain documents, the department said.
“Protecting the health, safety, and security of our communities is our top priority,” said Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. “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.”
More:
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/05/feds-push-back-real-id-deadline-for-air-travelers/