A little under a year from now, anyone who wants to enter a federal building or board an aircraft will need to have a federally compliant Real ID.
That requirement takes effect on Oct. 1, 2020, and the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles is encouraging people to get that ID now, rather than wait and possibly face a rush as the deadline nears.
“The federal government came up with the Real ID act in 2005 and is only now enforcing it,” Natalie Holcomb, public information specialist, said.
The West Virginia DMV has offered federally complaint Real IDs since January 2012, she said.
The DMV has made the public aware it offers the Real ID through brochures, renewal forms and other methods, Holcomb said. The most recent information available shows 40% of licensed drivers in the state have the federal ID.
A Real ID is easily identifiable by a gold star in the upper right corner of the card, Holcomb said.
Proof of identity, proof of social security number, two proofs of West Virginia residency and a proof of legal presence for non-citizens are required to obtain a Real ID, Holcomb said.
Acceptable proof of identity for U.S. citizens are birth certificates or an official U.S. passport. Social security proof includes a social security card, a W-2 — which can also double as proof of residency if it’s not more than 18 months old — or a 1099 form with the applicant’s full social security number and name on it.
Proof of residency has the most options, which include utility bills less than 60 days old, tax records, mortgage documents, West Virginia weapons permit, voter registration card and more. The full list of acceptable proof options is available at dmv.wv.gov.
If a person has changed his or her name, through marriage for example, proof of that change also needs to be shown, Holcomb said.
A Real ID costs an additional $10 and customers will receive a temporary ID to carry until the actual license is mailed within 10 to 14 business days, according to the DMV.
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