REAL ID Deadline Extended Again: What It Means For Florida Residents

FLORIDA — Residents of Florida have an additional 24 months to obtain their REAL IDs, a document that will be necessary to board domestic flights and enter certain federal buildings, after the Department of Homeland Security on Monday extended the enforcement deadline to May 7, 2025.

Officials said the extension is needed, in part, because of lingering problems from COVID-19 that caused backlogs in state agencies charged with issuing driver’s licenses.

Precautions in many states included automatically extending expiration dates of driver’s licenses and identification cards, and shifting to appointment-only schedules.

The REAL ID Act became effective nationwide on May 11, 2008. Florida began issuing REAL ID-compliant credentials after Jan. 1, 2010. The new credentials have a star in the upper right corner of the card. Florida is a REAL ID-compliant state and all Florida licenses should be accepted nationwide.

Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles offices require an in-person visit to bring in the required documents for a REAL ID the first time. Check www.flhsmv.gov/locations to find a driver license service center or tax collector office near you.

The agency recommends making an appointment prior to your office visit.

To obtain a real ID, Florida residents must provide documents to prove their identity, their Social Security number, a written signature and two documents that show proof of residence.

View the FLHSMV's fact sheet about the REAL ID here.

How to apply for the REAL ID in Florida

To apply for the new card, you'll need to gather a few documents and take a trip to the DMV.
1. First gather any of the following identity documents:

• Valid U.S. passport
• Birth certificate
• U.S. certificate or consular report of birth abroad
• Certificate of naturalization or citizenship
• Valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card
• Unexpired employment authorization document (EAD) Card (I-766) or valid/expired EAD Card with Notice of Action (I-797 C)
• Unexpired Permanent Resident Card or valid/expired Permanent Resident Card with Notice of Action (I-797 C) or Approval Notice (I-797)
• Unexpired foreign passport stamped "Processed for I-551"
• Documents reflecting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) benefit eligibility

2. Then find proof of your social security number (full number required)

• Social Security card
• W-2 form
• SSA-1099 form
• Non-SSA-1099 form
• Paystub

3. Gather two of these documents to prove Florida residency

• Home utility bills (including cellular phone)
• Medical documents
• Car or Boat registration
• Employment documents
• Insurance documents
• Bank and Financial institution records
• Change of Address confirmation by the U.S. Postal Service
• Mortgage bill
• Rental or lease agreement (signed by owner and tenant)
• IRS or Florida FTB tax return

4. Visit a FLHSMV office. Find one close to you.

The compliance deadline has been extended multiple times beyond the original date — April 27, 2020 — because of the pandemic. It was extended to October 2021, but in May of that year, DHS extended it again to May 3, 2023.

Past the new enforcement date of May 7, 2025, federal agencies, including the TSA, will not be able to accept identification that does not meet REAL ID standards.

The REAL ID Act of 2005 was passed by Congress after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Four pieces of identification are required to obtain a REAL ID: a passport or birth certificate, a Social Security card or tax return, and two documents proving proof of residence, such as a mortgage or rental receipt and a utility bill.

In addition to the stars on REAL ID driver's licenses, the cards themselves will be built with new technology, making them much more difficult to forge, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

If you don't plan to fly domestically or visit a federal office, no worries. You don't need a REAL ID to get a driver's license. Also, the TSA won't require children under 18 to provide identification when they're traveling with an adult companion within the United States, but the companion must have acceptable identification.

The REAL ID isn't a substitute for a passport required for international travel, and it also doesn't affect the ability to vote or register to vote, applications for federal benefits, enter federal facilities that don't require identification, obtain medical care, or participate in police proceedings or investigations.