Those looking to obtain a REAL ID, weather for boarding an airplane or accessing a federal building, time is running out. The deadline for getting a REAL ID is just days away.
A REAL ID needs to be obtained by May 7.
REAL IDs will be marked by a star in the top right corner to indicate that the owner has a REAL ID.
Don't worry, your regular Arkansas ID will still be valid after May 7, as they are not required in Arkansas. However, citizens will need one if they wish to travel via airplane.
Recently, certain revenue offices were open on Saturday, April 26, to help Arkansans who wished to get a REAL ID. 52,000 REAL IDs were issued in the month of March, bringing the total number of IDs to 800,000 in the state.
To get a REAL ID, simply go to the Arkansas Revenue Office to renew or obtain your license and tell them a REAL ID is needed.
In Arkansas, the following items will be required to obtain the license:
• Passport or birth certificate
• Two proofs of address (utility bills, bank statement)
• Social Security card
• Name change linking documents if necessary (Marriage Certificate, Divorce Decree, Court Order)
The cost of a REAL ID is the same as a regular license, $40 to renew and $10 for a duplicate.
The REAL ID act was passed by Congress in 2005. It was enacted from the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the federal government “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses and identification cards.” The Act establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits federal agencies from accepting, for certain official purposes, non compliant driver's licenses and identification cards.
The Department of Homeland Security began to certify states as compliant in 2012, with Arkansas becoming certified in 2016.
The official purposes covered under the Act and regulation are:
• accessing certain federal facilities
• boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft
• entering nuclear power plants
The act does not affect other uses of a driver's license or a ID card unrelated to the official purposes defined by the Act.
