Flying Soon Out Of Utah Airport? Better Have Your Real ID
The deadline to have a Real ID for domestic air travel is here.
Utahns will be required to have the Real ID-compliant identification card to get through security when traveling at airports starting today.
The state-issued card or license has a gold or black star in the top right hand corner.
The change comes 20 years after Congress first passed the Real ID Act.
In Utah, If you've received a new driver's license in the past few years, you already have a Real ID.
In fact, officials with the state of Utah are quick to point out that Utah was well-prepared for this day and more than 95 percent of all Utahns already have a Real ID verification.
Go ahead and pull your wallet out and look at your license. If your license is current, it should have a gold or black star in the upper right-hand corner (mine is gold).
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It's worth noting that even If you don't have a REAL ID, you can still fly with a valid U.S. passport, passport card, or other acceptable form of identification. Also, the rule does not apply to those under the age of 18.
So what's the point of the Real ID card?
According to Homeland Security, the Real ID Act passed in 2005 established minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards and prohibits certain federal agencies (like the TSA) from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards. These purposes are:
- Accessing certain federal facilities
- Boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft
- Entering nuclear power plants
What do you do if you don't have a Real ID card, but you want or need one?
- Check your current license: If your license already has the gold star, you're good to go.
- Apply for a new license: If your license doesn't have the gold star, you'll need to apply for a new REAL ID-compliant license or identification card.
- Visit a Driver License Division office: You'll need to bring required documents proving your identity, Social Security number, and Utah residency.
- Pay the fee: There is a fee associated with obtaining a REAL ID.
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