People line up for service at the Department of Motor Vehicles office on East Sahara Avenue Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. People who want to avoid lines at the DMV by renewing their driver’s licenses online will find that their ID cards come with the notation “not for federal official use.”
Monday, April 6, 2015 | 2 a.m.
If you renew your Nevada driver’s license by mail, beware: Soon, you won’t be able to use it to board an airplane.
As of November, only licenses renewed in person at the Department of Motor Vehicles are recognized for federal use. That means expired licenses renewed by mail can’t be used to access federal facilities, as of October won’t work at military facilities, and beginning in 2016, won’t be accepted to board commercial aircraft.
Why the change? In 2005, Congress passed the Real ID Act, a federal law designed to combat terrorism and identity theft by standardizing how state IDs are issued. The law set basic criteria for receiving a driver’s licence or identification card, such as which documents states may accept as proof of identity and residency.
States phased in the regulations over several years. Nevada came into compliance with the Real ID Act on Nov. 12.
Since then, all Nevada driver’s licenses and identification cards have been marked either with a Real ID gold circle in the upper right-hand corner or the heading “NOT FOR FEDERAL OFFICIAL USE” printed on the top middle of the card.
The change has caused much confusion among residents, many of whom were unaware of the new regulations and didn’t realize for months the restrictions associated with their mailed licenses.
A Real ID isn’t mandatory and is almost identical to a driver’s license or identification card; the only difference is whether it is compliant for federal use. But that’s a big difference if you are standing at the gate of Nellis Air Force Base or waiting to board an airplane.
To get a Real ID, you must present proof of identity (a birth certificate, out-of-state driver’s license or passport), your Social Security number and two residency documents in person at a DMV office — even if you already went through the same process to obtain your original license or ID. Real ID cards cannot be obtained through the mail or online.
Standard driver’s licenses and identification cards will remain valid until their expiration dates, but you can upgrade to a Real ID any time for $8.25.
The good news: The in-person requirement needs to be done only once. When your Real ID expires, you can renew it through the mail.
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