Hoosiers Encouraged To Get Federal-Approved Driver’s License

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By Seth Fleming
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS—In a little more than two years, the already-strict security requirements to board an airplane in the United States will become even more stringent as Real ID becomes the law of the land.

Real ID is a form of identification, often a driver’s license, which meets federal government standards. Effective Oct. 1, 2020, it will be required for air travel, entering courthouses, military plants and as well as nuclear power plants.

After the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, security checkpoints before boarding a commercial jet were tightened. Along with this heightened security, Congress passed the Real ID Act of 2005 to require stricter standards for identification forms such as driver’s licenses.

In Indiana, under the headline “Will Your License Fly,” the Bureau of Motor Vehicles encourages people to get their Read ID before October 2020.  A gold star in the upper right corner of a driver’s license indicates that it has met federal standards.

In Indiana, in order to obtain a Real ID, individuals must provide the following:

  • A document, such as a birth certificate or unexpired passport, to prove identity.
  • The same or similar document to prove the individual’s lawful status in the United States.
  • A social security card or W-2 form to prove the individual’s social security number.
  • Two documents that prove Indiana residency, such as a utility bill, bank statement, pay stub or insurance policy.

Once the documents are approved by the local DMV, the Real ID will be delivered to the resident’s home within 14 days.

Residents have the ability to apply for a non-compliant ID online, for voting or driving purposes, but it will not work for federal identification purposes.

Opposition to the federal law, titled  “Amendments to Federal Laws to Protect Against Terrorist Entry,” delayed implementation for 15 years because of a concern that too much information was being shared with the government.

Part of the process includes the sharing of information, including driver histories, among states. That is why, as part of the requirements for the Real ID, the photo on the identification form must be facial-recognition compatible, which means no smiling or wearing glasses when the photo is taken.

FOOTNOTE: Seth Fleming is a reporter with TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.  File photo of an Indiana driver’s license. Photo by Shelby Mullis, TheStatehouseFile.com