REAL ID Enforcement in Minnesota Six Months Away

ST. PAUL -- With just six months to go before REAL ID goes into full enforcement, just 22 percent of Minnesotans have a REAL ID or enhanced driver's license.

Nationwide, about 40 percent of all U.S. driver's licenses and ID cardholders were REAL ID-compliant.

Starting October 1st, you will not be able to use your standard driver's license or ID card to board domestic flights or enter federal facilities. Instead, you will need one of three options: a passport or passport card, a REAL ID, or an enhanced driver's license or ID. If you already have a passport, you have what you need to board a domestic flight and enter federal facilities.

A REAL ID is optional.

You can wait to apply for a REAL ID when you renew your license. If you choose to renew early, there is a fee in addition to the standard cost, $2 for a renewal up to 17 months before expiration, $4 for a renewal 18-29 months early, and $6 if you renew more than 39 months early.

As of this month, nearly 3.8 million Minnesotans have a standard ID, over 424,000 have an enhanced ID, and over 635,000 have a REAL ID.