How Real ID Ready is Colorado?
(COLORADO) — After almost two decades, the REAL ID deadline takes effect Wednesday, May 7, and Colorado is one of the leading states when it comes to REAL ID Ready preparedness.
Colorado has been a mandatory REAL ID state since 2013, meaning that 100% of those eligible for a REAL ID in Colorado have received a REAL ID-compliant credential at either their initial issuance or renewal. So far, Colorado has one of the highest rates, with 96% of all driver's licenses and identification cards issued in Colorado being REAL-ID compliant.
'Colorado has led the way in ensuring our residents are REAL ID ready,' Governor Polis said. 'Thanks to the leadership at the DMV and the commitment of Coloradans, we are proud to be fully prepared for this important national security milestone, and this success highlights our state's proactive approach to modernization and public service.'
The REAL ID Act was passed in 2005, establishing minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and ID cards to create more secure credentials for national security, fraud mitigation, and identity theft purposes.
'Colorado DMV staff have worked diligently for over a decade to ensure a smooth transition to REAL ID,' DMV Senior Director Electra Bustle said. 'We're proud that Colorado is ahead of the curve, and we thank our customers for helping make this effort a success.'
Starting May 7, TSA will not accept a non-REAL ID-compliant credential to board a flight.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
18 hours ago
- USA Today
Costco cards good for 'hot dogs & rotisserie chickens,' not airports, TSA says
Costco cards good for 'hot dogs & rotisserie chickens,' not airports, TSA says The deadline for travelers to obtain a Real ID for domestic flights and accessing federal facilities was May 7. Show Caption Hide Caption Real ID explained: what it is, why it matters, and how to get yours Real ID requirements: everything you need to know about getting compliant for travel and ID. Costco memberships come with a variety of perks, including access to discounted products and services; however, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently debunked the rumor that customers' warehouse club cards substitute for a Real ID. TSA proclaimed in an X post on Wednesday, June 4: "We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not." TSA Pacific spokesperson Lorie Dankers told SFGate that the rumor of Costco cards being accepted as official identification pops up every year or so. When people try to use their warehouse club cards at airports, for instance, it could lead to delays and travel headaches, she added. Travel: You don't need a passport at these 7 US destinations that feel international As of May 7, travelers need a Real ID or other acceptable identification for domestic flights and accessing federal facilities. Those who haven't gotten one yet may be scrambling to figure out what they need to do before booking their next trip. One thing is for certain: They should probably leave their Costco membership cards at home. Here are the acceptable forms of identification, according to the TSA, as well as some background on how the most recent version of the Costco card rumor originated. Acceptable identification at the TSA checkpoint According to the TSA, valid forms of ID at airports include: Real ID-compliant driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent) A temporary driver's license is not an acceptable form of identification. State-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL) or Enhanced ID (EID) U.S. passport U.S. passport card DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents Permanent resident card Border crossing card An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs) HSPD-12 PIV card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) How did the Costco card rumor come back up? Food blog Chowhound claimed in the initial version of an article titled "How Your Costco Card Could Save You At The Airport," that people's Costco cards could pass through TSA because it is considered a photo ID. The article cited Reddit, where users claimed their warehouse club cards helped them through airport security when they forgot or lost their regular ID. On June 4, the day TSA debunked the rumor on social media, Chowhound issued an update to the article, saying, "A previous version of this article stated TSA is likely to accept a Costco membership card in lieu of a valid form of ID. TSA does not explicitly state you can use a Costco card as a form of identification, explaining, 'The TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes collecting information such as your name and current address to confirm your identity. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint, where you may be subject to additional screening.'" The update concludes with: "Now with the Real ID requirements, (a Costco card) is even less likely to get you through TSA quickly or successfully." If someone tried using a Costco card at an airport, they would likely be pulled from the TSA checkpoint line for further questioning about other personal information, such as their two previous home addresses, Dankers told SFGate. Contributing: Chad Murphy/ Akron Beacon Journal
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Bloomberg
Failed Muni Bond Draws FBI and Sparks `Ponzi-Like Fraud' Claims
Before the lawsuits started piling up in courtrooms across Connecticut, before his employer accused him of running a 'massive Ponzi-like fraud,' and before the FBI showed up, Robert Cappelletti looked well on his way to pulling off one of the greatest muni-bond coups of all time. The plan Cappelletti had put together was so audacious it bordered on the fantastical. The housing agency he ran in Groton, a sleepy town of some 40,000 people along Connecticut's Thames River, would sell $750 million of bonds to jumpstart a $4 billion project to transform a bunch of run-down shopping plazas into a sprawling, up-scale development. There'd be a new train station, a hospital, almost 2,000 apartments and dozens of shops and restaurants.
a day ago
Democratic states double down on laws resisting Trump's immigration crackdown
As President Donald Trump's administration targets states and local governments for not cooperating with federal immigration authorities, lawmakers in some Democratic-led states are intensifying their resistance by strengthening state laws restricting such cooperation. In California alone, more than a dozen pro-immigrant bills passed either the Assembly or Senate this week, including one prohibiting schools from allowing federal immigration officials into nonpublic areas without a judicial warrant. Other state measures have sought to protect immigrants in housing, employment and police encounters, even as Trump's administration has ramped up arrests as part of his plan for mass deportations. In Connecticut, legislation pending before Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont would expand a law that already limits when law enforcement officers can cooperate with federal requests to detain immigrants. Among other things, it would let 'any aggrieved person' sue municipalities for alleged violations of the state's Trust Act. Two days after lawmakers gave final approval to the measure, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security included Connecticut on a list of hundreds of 'sanctuary jurisdictions' obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The list later was removed from the department's website after criticism that it errantly included some local governments that support Trump's immigration policies. Since taking office in January, Trump has enlisted hundreds of state and local law enforcement agencies to help identify immigrants in the U.S. illegally and detain them for potential deportation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement now lists 640 such cooperative agreements, a nearly fivefold increase under Trump. Trump also has lifted longtime rules restricting immigration enforcement near schools, churches and hospitals, and ordered federal prosecutors to investigate state or local officials believed to be interfering with his crackdown on illegal immigration. The Department of Justice sued Colorado, Illinois and New York, as well as several cities in those states and New Jersey, alleging their policies violate the U.S. Constitution or federal immigration laws. Just three weeks after Colorado was sued, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a wide-ranging law expanding the state's protections for immigrants. Among other things, it bars jails from delaying the release of inmates for immigration enforcement and allows penalties of up to $50,000 for public schools, colleges, libraries, child care centers and health care facilities that collect information about people's immigration status, with some exceptions. Polis rejected the administration's description of Colorado as a 'sanctuary state,' asserting that law officers remain 'deeply committed' to working with federal authorities on criminal investigations. 'But to be clear, state and local law enforcement cannot be commandeered to enforce federal civil immigration laws,' Polis said in a bill-signing statement. Illinois also has continued to press pro-immigrant legislation. A bill recently given final approval says no child can be denied a free public education because of immigration status — something already guaranteed nationwide under a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision. Supporters say the state legislation provides a backstop in case court precedent is overturned. The bill also requires schools to develop policies on handling requests from federal immigration officials and allows lawsuits for alleged violations of the measure. Democratic-led states are pursuing a wide range of means to protect immigrants. A new Oregon law bars landlords from inquiring about the immigration status of tenants or applicants. New laws in Washington declare it unprofessional conduct for bail bond agents to enforce civil immigration warrants, prohibit employers from using immigration status to threaten workers and let employees use paid sick leave to attend immigration proceedings for themselves or family members. Vermont last month repealed a state law that let law enforcement agencies enter into immigration enforcement agreements with federal authorities during state or national emergencies. They now need special permission from the governor to do so. As passed by the House, Maryland legislation also would have barred local governments from reaching immigration enforcement agreements with the federal government. That provision was removed in the Senate following pushback from some of the seven Maryland counties that currently have agreements. The final version, which took effect as law at the start of June, forbids public schools and libraries from granting federal immigration authorities access to nonpublic areas without a judicial warrant or 'exigent circumstances.' Maryland Del. Nicole Williams said residents' concerns about Trump's immigration policies prompted her to sponsor the legislation. 'We believe that diversity is our strength, and our role as elected officials is to make sure that all of the residents within our community — regardless of their background — feel safe and comfortable,' Williams said. Though legislation advancing in Democratic states may shield against Trump's policies, 'I would say it's more so to send a message to immigrant communities to let them know that they are welcome,' said Juan Avilez, a policy associate at the American Immigration Council, a nonprofit advocacy group. In California, a law that took effect in 2018 already requires public schools to adopt policies 'limiting assistance with immigration enforcement to the fullest extent possible.' Some schools have readily applied the law. When DHS officers attempted a welfare check on migrant children at two Los Angeles elementary schools in April, they were denied access by both principals. Legislation passed by the state Senate would reinforce such policies by specifically requiring a judicial warrant for public schools to let immigration authorities into nonpublic areas, allow students to be questioned or disclose information about students and their families. 'Having ICE in our schools means that you'll have parents who will not want to send their kids to school at all,' Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener said in support of the bill. But some Republicans said the measure was 'injecting partisan immigration policies' into schools. 'We have yet to see a case in California where we have scary people in masks entering schools and ripping children away,' said state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil. 'Let's stop these fear tactics that do us an injustice.'
