June 6, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
Tennessee will begin offering residents the option of upgrading their driver’s license starting July 1 to meet federal requirements that will affect domestic air travel.
The “Real ID” license allows the state to meet federal standards under the REAL ID Act.
DeKalb County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss was guest speaker at Thursday’s monthly meeting of the DeKalb County Retired Teachers at NHC Healthcare Center and presented a power point to explain the new law.
REAL ID is a coordinated effort by the states and the Federal Government to improve the reliability and accuracy of state-issued identification documents, which should inhibit terrorists’ ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification
“Tennesseans are not required to get the upgraded driver’s licenses. However, if residents don’t have a passport, the “Real ID” compliant cards will be needed to fly domestically, go into federal buildings, or enter military bases effective October 1, 2020,” said Poss.
“This started when President George W. Bush was in office through Homeland Security after 9/11 basically saying that while driver licenses do fall squarely within the states (jurisdiction) the federal government should do something unilaterally for all the states,” said Poss
Currently, 4.5 million people have a Tennessee driver’s license. As of right now, all of those are compliant with the REAL ID act, according to the Department of Homeland Security, but that will soon change because the roll out of the changes has been in stages. The next stage is the REAL ID license, which will add a gold star to the driver’s license, which signifies it as a federal ID.
If you are renewing your license, you’ll pay that normal fee when you go to get your license with a gold star. If your license is current, you will have to pay an $8 duplicate fee to get a license with the gold star.
How do REAL IDs differ from current IDs?
- The REAL ID is a regular license that adds a gold star. That gold star allows you to get through security when you’re flying or allows you to enter a federal building. It designates your license as a federal form of identification
- 42 other states are already issuing these license
- If you do not get the REAL ID, your license is only a state license, not a federal license and when you renew your license it will say “not for federal identification”
- You must have the Gold star license, passport, military ID (or other TSA approved ID) to get on a plane in the U.S. If you choose not to get the star you cannot travel by air with your driver’s license
- Without the REAL ID, you won’t be able to enter a federal building starting in October 2020
How will that process work? Does everyone have to go to the DMV?
When you go to renew your license you will have to present proper documentation — same as what the state has always required in the past when you come in to TN – social security card, birth certificate/passport, two proofs of residency