Latest news with #DriverandVehicleServices
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Minnesota residents targeted by fake messages imitating Driver Vehicle Services
Jun. 4---- The is warning Minnesotans to be wary of any text messages from the "DMV" and requesting immediate payment. According to a news release from DPS, these fake messages claim to be from agencies such as the "Minnesota Department of Motor Vehicles" or "DPSMN" and request immediate payment in regard to outstanding traffic tickets. The messages state if payment is not received a number of actions may be taken, including suspending driving privileges for 30 days or revoking vehicle registration. The Department of Public Safety advises those who have received these messages not to open any links to avoid having any personal information stolen. "DPS and its Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division will never send texts about outstanding traffic tickets and will never request payment through a text," according to the news release. Some residents reported receiving multiple messages in a row, with increasingly threatening language to pressure recipients into paying. "We understand how upsetting it can be to receive multiple threatening messages demanding payment. If you're unsure please reach out directly," Driver and Vehicle Services Director Pong Xiong wrote in a statement "We're here to help protect your information and peace of mind." The DVS Records Division can be reached by phone at 651-296-2940. Residents can also find information they need at the DVS website at Residents who sent money or personal information after receiving these texts are advised to file a report with the FBI's
Axios
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Flying this summer? You may need a Real ID
With one month to go until new rules for domestic flights are scheduled to take effect, barely 40% of Minnesotans have a Real ID-compliant license. Why it matters: Residents without an ID that meets the updated airport security standards could be grounded for summer air travel. Driving the news: Starting May 7, residents 18 and older will need one of the enhanced licenses or identification cards — or an alternative acceptable form of ID like a passport — to board a commercial flight. What we're hearing: Minnesota's Driver and Vehicle Services says demand for Real IDs has picked up as the deadline nears, lengthening the turnaround time for new applications to 45 days. The agency told Axios it processed 69,000 more applications between January and March of 2025 than it did during the same period last year. How we got here: Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, seeking to beef up security surrounding IDs used at airports. The law was scheduled to be enforced in 2008 but has been delayed several times. Zoom in: Compliant IDs that meet the new security requirements are typically marked with a star in the upper right corner. Starting next month, you'll also need one to: 🪖 Visit a military base or a secure federal building like a courthouse. ☢️ Enter nuclear power plants. Yes but: You don't need a Real ID to drive, vote or open a bank account. Plus: Children under 18 generally don't need to provide identification when traveling within the country. Between the lines: Not everyone needs or wants one of these new licenses, given that documents like passports, border crossing cards and tribal and military IDs can also be used to fly. "Many people have compliant documents that are not REAL IDs and they never intend to get one," DVS spokesperson Erin Johnson told Axios on why the state never anticipated near-universal compliance. If you do still need one: Fill out the pre-application online and book an appointment or walk in at a DVS location that processes these enhanced IDs. Additional documentation is required for the application, so double check the list of acceptable residency paperwork before you arrive. What's next: Travelers without the right ID may be able to go through an identification verification process at the airport, TSA says, but they should anticipate long lines, delays and extra screenings. The bottom line: " The message we're really trying to get out is for people to plan ahead if they know they're traveling this summer or beyond, because increased demand is creating an increase in processing times," Johnson said.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
As deadline looms, Minnesota's REAL ID compliance rate trails neighboring states
The Brief Only 40 percent of Minnesotans have a REAL ID, a rate which trails neighboring states. REAL IDs will be required to fly and enter federal buildings. Federal enforcement begins on May 7. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - As the long-delayed enforcement deadline approaches, fewer than half of Minnesotans have a REAL ID, which will be required to fly and enter federal buildings. The backstory Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 as a response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The law sets minimum security standards for state IDs. While the initial deadline was in 2008, the government delayed enforcement multiple times as states prepared for the rollout. Minnesota started offering REAL IDs in October 2018. By the numbers Only 40 percent of Minnesotans have a REAL ID, a compliance rate which falls behind neighboring states. In both Wisconsin and North Dakota, 63 percent of people have one. In Iowa, 75 percent of IDs are compliant. South Dakota leads the region, with a 99 percent compliance rate. How long to get REAL ID It takes an average of 42 days, or about a month and a half, to receive a REAL ID, according to Driver and Vehicle Services. That means anyone who has not already applied for one almost certainly will not have one by the deadline. What they're saying "I guess it was just more of like an oversight on my part that I just hadn't had it – gotten it renewed...." said Melissa Schoeppner of Le Sueur. "I was able to check the status online yesterday and it said it was still in review, so five weeks later and here we are, so oh well." Others tried to apply for one after relocating but had no luck. "I had it here in Minnesota, and then when I moved to Montana I didn't have the right identification with me because I was in the middle of a move," explained Stephanie Schmitt. What's required In addition to a document that proves your identity, such as a birth certificate or a passport, you will also need two documents that prove your Minnesota residency, such as a utility bill or a credit card statement. You will also need to know your Social Security number, though you will not need your card. If you don't have REAL ID If you do not have a REAL ID by the deadline, you will be able to use a passport in its place. Timeline The federal enforcement deadline is May 7.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Yahoo
Minnesota same-day driver's licenses, ID cards issues reported
The Brief A Farmington woman says her son's same-day driver's license was flagged as fake, prompting a call to police. Driver and Vehicle Services acknowledged that its same-day cards look and feel different from its standard cards. The same-day cards have been issued in Lakeville and Moorhead since October 2022 as part of a pilot program. LAKEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Some Minnesotans are saying their same-day driver's licenses and ID cards have been flagged as counterfeit at bars and in airports, leading to embarrassing situations. The backstory Dawn Gorr, of Farmington, said her son received his driver's license on March 14, the same day he applied for it at the DVS office in Lakeville. But when he tried to use it at several bars in Wisconsin to celebrate his 21st birthday, every bartender rejected it, suspecting it was counterfeit. One bartender even called the police on her son, she said. Similar stories Gorr posted on the neighborhood website Nextdoor about her son's experience and was inundated with dozens of messages from people who have had similar experiences. In one comment, a woman said she had trouble using her same-day license while on vacation. Another woman wrote that she ran into trouble with her same-day license at an airport. Someone else chimed in, writing: "Yes – we have a lot of problems with those IDs from Lakeville when we travel." What they're saying "It wasn't passing the security features that they look for on it, and at one point they actually had to contact the La Crosse police to come so that they could determine that the license was indeed valid," Gorr explained. "It's blurry, it's missing some of the security features. When a light is shined on it, apparently there is a different look to it." She said her son applied for and received a standard driver's license to avoid future problems. Dig deeper DVS started offering same-day driver's licenses and ID cards in October 2022 as part of a pilot program. The cards, which are printed and issued at a DVS office, are only available in Lakeville and Moorhead. What they're saying In a statement on Friday, DVS Director Pong Xiong said: "We care about any issues customers are having with same-day issue cards. Same-day issue cards are only available in Lakeville and Moorhead. They look and feel slightly different than the central issue cards we send in the mail due to the cardstock and the laminate printing process… There is no indication that the cards are not functioning properly or that this is a technical issue, but more an issue of look and feel. If someone has a driver's license that is not working properly or has an issue with it, we would encourage them to contact or visit a DVS location."
CBS News
10-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
Long lines form at Pittsburgh-area DMV as drivers make switch to Real ID
Pennsylvanians have just 57 days as of Monday before REAL ID enforcement begins in the Commonwealth. Several DMVs held REAL ID events across the state on Monday to streamline the process for getting the new identification card. At the driver's license center in New Kensington, hundreds of people showed up to get their REAL ID. At one point, the line was over an hour long to get inside the building. "I figured I would have to wait but I would be sitting inside and not on a line outside," said Patti DeBiasse. The big reason people showed up to get their REAL ID was the same for almost everyone. "For travel, to make it easier," said Roberta Russo. "I have a passport, but they said you are going to need the REAL ID, so I am getting the REAL ID." A REAL ID is a federally acceptable driver's license and photo ID that makes domestic air travel easier. It also allows for easier access into federal buildings or military bases. It is not a requirement to have a REAL ID in Pennsylvania, and citizens will not be penalized for not having one. If a Pennsylvania resident doesn't have a REAL ID after May 7, 2025, they must bring additional documentation to board domestic flights or enter a federal installation. Getting a REAL ID costs $30, plus any renewal fees you may have associated with your license. Aimee Inama, the press officer for PennDOT's Driver and Vehicle Services, says about 25% of Pennsylvanians already have a REAL ID, but there is still plenty of time to get one if you want one. "People are concerned," said Inama. "They are saying, 'What happens if I don't get it on May 7, am I going to be in trouble, or what am I going to do?' You do have time. PennDOT is still going to be processing REAL IDs even after the May 7 deadline, so we don't want people to panic." Officials also want drivers to show up with all proper documentation, otherwise you will be turned away and have to return at another time. click here.
