Time is running out for nine out of 10 Minnesotans. If you are one of the 90 percent of Minnesota residents who hasn’t applied for a Real ID, and unless you are planning on using your passport to fly, now is the time to act. You have until Oct. 1, 2020.
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the federal government turned its attention to the security of driver’s licenses, the preferred form of identification used for travel. In 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act, which required minimum security standards for state-issued licenses.
Without a Real ID or passport, you won’t be able to board a plane next October.
Minnesota was well behind other states in embracing the federal Real ID law. State lawmakers didn’t pass a compliance plan until 2017.
The Department of Public Safety has a huge backlog of Real ID applications. As of last week, the agency was processing applications from the week of Oct. 8.
My current driver’s license expires this month, so I applied on Nov. 4.
I visited the Stearns County Service Center in Waite Park. I’ve been there before to buy license tabs and pick up an absentee ballot. It’s staffed by efficient and friendly county employees and I found the wait times to be just a minute or two. The whole Real ID process took less than 10 minutes and the only delay was waiting for another applicant to be photographed because there’s just one photo booth.
If you want to quickly move through the application process, come prepared with the correct documents. A Real ID application requires a number of original documents that verify birth, residence, Social Security number and citizenship.
DPS prepared a very detailed and helpful website listing all the acceptable documents (read it carefully) and other information about the application process here: REALID.dps.mn.gov.
Applicants need one document proving identity, date of birth and legal presence in the United States; one document proving your Social Security number; and two different documents proving current residency in Minnesota.
I used my passport to prove identity, birth and legal residency. If you don’t have a passport, get one, even if you don’t plan to travel abroad. A passport is extremely useful for actions unrelated to travel such as applying for a job.
I used my Social Security card, current driver’s license and a recent printed bank statement to satisfy the other requirements.
Pay attention to the document requirements, because if you don’t fully follow the rules, you’ll end up making a second trip to the office.
Don’t bring a laminated document such as a Social Security card. When you apply, a worker scans your documents and laminated documents don’t work.
Make sure you bring two documents proving residency and they must have your current name and address. Post Office box numbers don’t work.
If you’ve changed your name, for example because of marriage or divorce, bring all legal documents backing up that change. Your name must match on all the application documents.
Maybe some of us no longer use paper statements for banking and other transactions. For Real ID purposes, you need paper. A smartphone can’t be scanned.
So why are we talking about this now if Congress acted 15 years ago? You can thank the Legislature.
After postponing full implementation for several years, the federal government went state-by-state to get each ID to comply with the act or get an extension.
In 2009, legislators passed a law prohibiting the commissioner of public safety from “taking any action to implement or to plan for the implementation” of the Real ID Act. The bill passed with near-unanimous support in the Legislature and was signed by former Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Lawmakers had concerns about data privacy and the cost of implementing Real ID.
Years went by and the federal government granted a series of extensions until finally the feds ran out of patience. The Legislature changed the 2009 law in 2017. Officials scrambled to come up with a plan and began issuing Real IDs in October 2018.
Eighteen years after 9/11, four million Minnesotans still need Real IDs. Time is flying by.
