06-04-2025
Deadline nears for REAL ID requirement
Individuals have until May 7 to get a REAL ID to be able to board domestic airline flights or access federal buildings.
Beginning May 7 the new high-security form of identification might be needed to conduct personal or professional business.
Bethany Swinford, Muskogee Tag Agency office manager, said the REAL ID is mainly for federal use.
'You will use it mainly to fly, go into federal buildings that require a federal ID and military bases,' Swinford said. 'A non-real ID can be issued as a state ID or driver's license. Just a regular state ID will be used for identification purposes only. A regular driver's license will be used as normal just without the federal privileges.'
The most common use for the REAL ID will be for airplane travel. It will be required to board a domestic flight.
Service Oklahoma says on its web site that as of April 2 over two million READ IDs have been issued in the state.
'If you take a trip within the US, and you fly, you will be required to have a REAL ID after May 7,' Swinford said. 'If you are flying internationally you will need a passport.'
The appearance of a REAL ID is not that different from a non-REAL ID. The one major difference is the REAL ID is marked with a gold star in the upper right corner.
A REAL ID can be obtained at any Service Oklahoma location or license operator in the state.
Several forms of identification will be needed when applying for a REAL ID.
'Documents that are needed would be current passport — if you do not have a current passport you will need to provide a birth certificate,' Swinford said. 'You will need any name change documents. This would include marriage license, divorce decrees if you went back to a previous name and legal name changes through the court system. You will also need to provide two pieces of mail with your name and current physical address — no P.O. boxes.'
Swinford said people coming to the tag agency are asked in advance if they are there for a REAL ID.
'If you don't provide the documents needed or ask about the real ID, it may have just got missed,' Swinford said.
She also said the fees for the new card is the same as the old one, '$38.50 to renew or $25 to replace and then you get your discounts when you turn 62.'
'Those reduced rates to renew are $21.25 for 62, $17.50 for 63 and 13.75 for 64 and, of course, 65 is free. If you are needing to replace and you are 62-64 that is still $25.'
