The next time you renew your license, the state is asking you to bring some extra paperwork with you, including your birth certificate, your marriage license, social security card and a bank statement.
You don’t have to get the new verified identification, but starting Oct. 1, 2020 federal law will require you to have one in order to board a plane or enter a federal building. State officials said getting the process done now will save time later.
The new identification, called a Real ID, stems from the Real ID Act passed by Congress in 2005, which establishes minimum standards for the production and issuance of driver licenses and identification cards. Indiana has been compliant with the standards since 2010, one of the earliest states to comply.
A Real ID, which has a gold star in the right hand corner, shows that the person has provided the proper documentation to prove their identity.
“In the past, it was really easy across the country to obtain a fake ID,” said Christine Meyer, Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles director of communications and public affairs.
Indiana residents getting a new drivers license are required to get the Real ID. Residents renewing their license are not required to update their license to the new standard.
If residents choose not to get a verified identification, they can still vote and drive, but a standard identification will not be accepted to board a commercial airline or enter a federal building or nuclear plant, Meyer said. A valid passport can be used to fly on any airline or enter federal property after 2020. People can still get the Real ID after 2020, when the new standards are in place, Meyer said.
“Everyone says that’s a deadline, but it’s just when the standards will begin to be enforced,” Meyer said. “It is just a timeline we are working on to make everyone aware.”
If you want to get a Real ID, you will need to bring extra documents with you to the license branch, including proof of identity, social security number, lawful status in the United States and proof of Indiana residency.
Bette Whitaker is currently working on gathering all the correct documentation she needs to upgrade her identification, she said.
The Franklin resident is concerned people aren’t informed enough about the documents they need, she said.
“A lot of people are going to have to take time to get what they need, and I feel people don’t realize that,” Whitaker said.
Ryan Grinstead, of Whiteland, upgraded to the Real ID three years ago while getting his daughter’s learner’s permit. Obtaining a learner’s permit required the same documents needed for a Real ID, so the employee at the license branch asked if he wanted to go ahead and upgrade, he said.
“They said, ‘You’re going to need to do this anyway,’” Grinstead said. “It was nice and easy.”
But he can understand why the new requirements may seem confusing, he said.
“People get frustrated and confused any time they have to deal with the BMV,” he said.
The state offers an interactive, step-by-step video on their website explaining what people need, Meyer said.
People can also call the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles service desk and they will go through all the documentations needed, she said.
“We don’t want people to show up to the branch without the right documents,” Meyer said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”What you need” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
The following documents are needed to get a Real ID:
One of the following is needed for proof of identity:
- Birth certificate
- Passport
- If a change in name: marriage license or a passport with updated name.
One of the following is needed for proof of lawful status in the U.S:
- U.S. birth certificate
- U.S. passport
- If not a U.S. citizen, certificate of citizenship or naturalization
One of the following is needed for Social Security number:
- Social Security card
- W-2 form
- SSA-1099 form
- Pay stub with name and social security number on it
Two of the following are needed for proving Indiana residency:
- Computer-generated bill from a utility company, credit card company, doctor, or hospital, issued within 60 days of the date you visit a BMV branch, and containing your name and address of residence.
- Bank statement
- Pre-printed pay stub
- Medicaid or Medicare benefit statement
For more details visit: www.in.gov/bmv/2440.htm
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