Harrisburg, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced today that it has resumed issuing REAL IDs at reopened Driver License Centers that offer driver license services throughout the state.
PennDOT previously paused the issuing of REAL IDs throughout the state in March out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Homeland Security postponed the enforcement date for REAL ID from Oct. 1, 2020, to Oct. 1, 2021 in response to the pandemic and the national emergency declaration.
According to PennDOT, REAL ID is option in Pennsylvania and there is no requirement for any resident to obtain one. PennDOT will still be offering standard-issue driver's licenses and photo IDs.
REAL ID is a federal law that affects how states issue driver's licenses and ID cards if they are going to be acceptable for federal purposes. A federally-acceptable form of identification (whether it's a Pennsylvania REAL ID driver's license or ID card, a valid U.S. Passport/Passport Card, a military ID, etc.) must now be used on and after October 1, 2021 as identification to board a commercial flight or visit a secure federal building that requires a federally acceptable form of identification ID for access.
You can read more about REAL IDs here.
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