REAL ID Deadline Looming In IL: What You Need To Know

ILLINOIS — If you're an Illinois resident, now's the time to get a "REAL ID" if you plan to fly anywhere in the U.S. on or after Oct. 1, 2020. That's the day TSA will stop accepting your standard driver's license or ID card as identification to board domestic flights, military base entry, or entry to secure federal facilities, according to the Illinois Secretary of State website. Instead, you'll need your REAL ID to do those things.

A REAL ID doesn't look much different from a standard state ID. However, in order to receive one, you have to go to your local secretary of state's office and prove your identity, your state residency, your lawful presence in the country and your Social Security status. Doing this gets you special star icon on your license, which means it is REAL ID compliant.

All Driver Services facilities are issuing REAL IDs, with the exception of mobile units and express facilities, namely: Diversey, Lockport, Orland Park, Rockford Auburn St., Roscoe, Washington and Wheaton.

More:

• Illinois Driver's Licenses, ID Cards Still Valid For Flights

But why do you need the new starred ID? The federal government requires a REAL ID for better security at airports and federal facilities.

People who need a REAL ID:

• You do not have a valid U.S. passport or passport card; AND
• You use airplanes as a mode of domestic transportation; or
• You visit military bases; or
• You visit secure federal facilities.

You do not need a REAL ID IF:

• You have a valid U.S. passport or passport card; or
• You do not use airplanes as a mode of domestic transportation; or
• You do not visit military bases; or
• You do not visit secure federal facilities.

>> Your checklist for required paperwork to obtain your REAL ID

What do you need to get a REAL ID in Illinois?

• All applicants must provide proof of identity. (Examples are: a certified U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport, an employment authorization document, a permanent resident card or a foreign passport with an approved I-94 form.) *Name change documents, such as certified copies of a marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc., will be required if the applicant presents a certified birth certificate with a name different from his/her current name. Multiple name change documents will be required if your name has changed multiple times.
• All applicants must provide proof of full Social Security number (SSN). (Examples are: an SSN card, a W-2 or a pay stub with full SSN.)
• All applicants must provide two current residency documents with the applicant's name. (Examples are: a utility bill, rental agreement, deed/title or a bank statement.)
• All applicants must provide proof of signature. (Examples are: a credit/debit card, canceled check or current Illinois DL/ID.)

What happens then? First, you'll receive a temporary, secure paper DL/ID at the facility — but TSA and federal agents will not accept the temporary, paper document. After review and verification of documents have been conducted, your new permanent REAL ID card will be mailed to you within 15 business days.

The REAL ID law was passed by Congress in 2005 as a way to establish minimum security standards for state-issued IDs. The deadline was set by the Trump administration after the law was opposed by states under George W. Bush and not enforced under Barack Obama.

Rebecca Bream (Hughes), Patch Staff, contributed to this article.