The Real ID is Nearly Here, and You Can't Fly Home Without it

[controller1]

Are you sure about this or is this state specific? I got a passport card with the last passport renewal several years ago as we travel to the Caribbean quite a bit. I assume I still need to jump through my state's hoops to get a real ID when my DL comes up for renewal early next year. Would be nice if it were automatic.

Ingrid

1) If your question is "Are you sure I can fly with a Passport Card instead of a Real-ID compliant drivers license", then the answer is YES as the Passport Card is considered to be Real-ID compliant.

2) If your question is "Will I have to jump though hoops to get my Real-ID drivers license when my renewal comes up next year" . . . The answer is YES if your state has only Real-ID compliant drivers licenses. The answer is NO if your state offers both a regular drivers license and a Real-ID compliant license since you could opt for the regular license and continue to use your Passport Card for flying and other Real-ID compliant uses such as entry into Federal buildings.

 

[Luanne]

1)

2) If your question is "Will I have to jump though hoops to get my Real-ID drivers license when my renewal comes up next year" . . . The answer is YES if your state has only Real-ID compliant drivers licenses. The answer is NO if your state offers both a regular drivers license and a Real-ID compliant license since you could opt for the regular license and continue to use your Passport Card for flying and other Real-ID compliant uses such as entry into Federal buildings.

If you want the real ID you may still need to jump through hoops.

If you opt for just the "regular" license, which won't get you onto a plane, then it might be easier.

So the answer, instead of yes, should have been, it depends.

 

[controller1]

If you want the real ID you may still need to jump through hoops.

If you opt for just the "regular" license, which won't get you onto a plane, then it might be easier.

So the answer, instead of yes, should have been, it depends.

Did you read my complete answer? If I said if this then yes and if this then no, isn't that the same as "it depends"?

 

[Luanne]

Did you read my complete answer? If I said if this then yes and if this then no, isn't that the same as "it depends"?

It was open to interpretation.

 

[IngridN]

1) If your question is "Are you sure I can fly with a Passport Card instead of a Real-ID compliant drivers license", then the answer is YES as the Passport Card is considered to be Real-ID compliant.

2) If your question is "Will I have to jump though hoops to get my Real-ID drivers license when my renewal comes up next year" . . . The answer is YES if your state has only Real-ID compliant drivers licenses. The answer is NO if your state offers both a regular drivers license and a Real-ID compliant license since you could opt for the regular license and continue to use your Passport Card for flying and other Real-ID compliant uses such as entry into Federal buildings.

I am a firm believer in redundancy. So, to answer your questions, 1) Yes, I am well aware that I don't need a real ID as I can use my passport card to fly. 2) My state offers both. I plan to renew to a real ID and my question was 'will I need to jump thru the hoops' or will it be automatic as in the case of the poster in whose state the transition was automatic. My guess no, I will need to jump thru the real ID hoops to get that. As I said above, I am a firm believer in redundancy therefore I will get a real ID!

Ingrid

 

[Luanne]

I am a firm believer in redundancy. So, to answer your questions, 1) Yes, I am well aware that I don't need a real ID as I can use my passport card to fly. 2) My state offers both. I plan to renew to a real ID and my question was 'will I need to jump thru the hoops' or will it be automatic as in the case of the poster in whose state the transition was automatic. My guess no, I will need to jump thru the real ID hoops to get that. As I said above, I am a firm believer in redundancy therefore I will get a real ID!

Ingrid

Me too. Even though I currently have a valid passport, maybe for some reason I won't renew it in years to come. If I get the real id I'll still have that. Of course by the time I probably let my passport lapse I may not be driving either.