The deadline is in May, 2023.
Baltimore, Md. (KM) – There’s a big push by the State Motor Vehicle Administration to get all Marylanders Real ID compliant. MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer says legislation requiring all Americans’ driver’s licenses and identification cards to be Real ID compliant was passed by Congress following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“Really, the goal is to set uniform standards for identification documents that can be accepted at places like airports or federal facilities, and to make sure they met a high level of security,” she said.
Nizer says everyone needs to have their licenses or state-issued identification cards Real ID compliant by May 3rd, 2023. “It’s really important that everyone’s aware of the document. With a year left to go, we want to make sure everybody knows about it. Although I will say we have 87% of Marylanders already Real ID compliant. which is really exciting,” she says.
If you’re not sure if you’re driver’s license or state-issued identification card is Real ID compliant, Nizer says go on line to mva.maryland.gov, and set up a My MVA Account. You can find out about your driver’s license and vehicle registration information, and it can say if you’re Real ID Compliant. If you’re not, you can set up an appointment with your local MVA office to come in. The agency says you will be seen within 15-minutes of the time of your appointment.
Before heading to the MVA, you’ll need to collect some documents to verify that you are the one whose name is on your driver’s license. For identification, MVA says you’ll need your birth certificate or a passport. You will also need a Social Security card, or a W2 or SSA-1099 form no older than 18-months. In addition, you’ll need two proofs of physical address such as your vehicle registration, insurance card, bank statement, credit card bill or utility bill, or mail from a state, federal or local government agency.
If you’ve lost your birth certificate, Nizer says one can be printed for you at the Frederick MVA office. “We’re able to issue you that document if you were born in Maryland,” she says.
All of the documents you bring will be scanned, and the MVA will have them on record as proof that you’re Real ID compliant.
Nizer says you only have to go through the Real ID process once, and you won’t have to do it again when it comes time to renew your license. “You only need to provide documents one time,” she says. “Once you have those documents on file, you don’t have to bring them back every time you complete a transaction.”
“You have some Marylanders who already have the documents that are required on file. They just don’t have that license with the star on it. So there’s a variety of categories of people who have already taken some action but maybe aren’t in that fully complaint status yet,” says Nizer. “So we’ll be reaching out to folks individually, but you can check anytime your Real ID status on line.” The web address for that is mva.maryland.gov.
By Kevin McManus