Want to fly or enter a federal building? Better get your Real ID real soon

Laura A. Bischoff, The Columbus Dispatch
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Six months from now, getting onto a commercial flight or entering federal facilities, such as military bases, will no longer be allowed with just a regular driver's license or state ID card.

Travelers will need a passport or a Real ID − a special driver's license or state ID card that meets federal security standards. The federal government requires certain identifying documentation to get a Real ID from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

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A federally compliant Ohio drivers license. Real ID compliance is indicated by the star in the upper right corner.
A federally compliant Ohio drivers license. Real ID compliance is indicated by the star in the upper right corner.

Is your Ohio driver's license a Real ID? Deadline is approaching

Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 to upgrade the standards for issuing identification cards.

Planning to fly?Make sure your ID is federally compliant, here's how

The deadline to have compliant licenses is May 3, 2023. The previous deadline got bumped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ohio Real ID requirements

Already, 4.4 million Ohioans have upgraded to Real ID. Ohio BMV Registrar Charlie Norman has advice for the half of Ohioans who still haven't upgraded: don't wait.

"Take some time and go to our website. Plan ahead. Use our acceptable documents checklist to gather everything you need," Norman said. "I wouldn't wait until May 3, 2023. If you can, go a little earlier."

The documents must show each of five elements: full legal name, date of birth, legal presence in the U.S., Social Security number and Ohio address. People who have changed names need additional documentation. The document lists are available in English, Spanish and Somali.

A standard Ohio driver license (not federally compliant). Can't be used to fly after May 3, 2023.
A standard Ohio driver license (not federally compliant). Can't be used to fly after May 3, 2023.

Ohio Real ID will be mailed in 7-10 business days after approval

After approval, applicants will be given an Ohio Interim Identification form which law enforcement can verify if needed. The Real ID will be mailed in about seven to 10 business days.

Applicants can use the BMV's get in line online system to hold their place in line and limit their time spent at the office. The new system began in 2020 and has saved about 500,000 hours of wait time and eliminated about 30,000 trips to a BMV office each month, Norman said.

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"We're really in a place where we feel good about the options Ohioans have for receiving services from the BMV," he said.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Real ID deadline approaching. What to know about document requirements