Your Illinois driver’s license soon might not be enough identification to allow you to board a plane, but right now it still works.
The REAL ID Act requires proof of legal residence and date of birth to get a secure driver’s license. Because Illinois does not require a birth certificate to get a driver’s license, that lacking requirement conflicts with the federal REAL ID Act of 2005.
The REAL ID restrictions became effective in 2008, but the Department of Homeland Security granted extensions for some states, including Illinois, to become compliant with the requirements.
The last extension for Illinois expired in October 2015; in late December 2015 a request for another extension for Illinois was denied. Federal authorities have said they’ll give travelers 120 days’ notice before the REAL ID restrictions will affect them, but access to other federal facilities could be impacted immediately as of January 10 for anyone who doesn’t have a REAL ID-compliant identification. The formal announcement of the new rules was slated for January 10.
“It does require legislation by the Illinois Assembly passed and signed by the governor and we’re nowhere near doing that,” Illinois Secretary of State spokesman David Druker told ABC7. “And there is a funding aspect; remember, this is an unfunded mandate from the federal government, so we’re looking at close to $50 to $60 million from the state of Illinois.”
It is a confusing situation, because the Department of Homeland Security says they will give travelers at least 120 days of notice before restrictions become the rule.
“Until otherwise announced, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will continue to accept driver’s licenses and state-issued identification cards from all jurisdictions,” said a fact sheet updated December 28, 2015 by the DHS.
They reiterated that statement on the DHS website.
“If traveling by air, residents from ANY state are still able to use a driver’s license, or any of the various other forms of identification accepted by the Transportation Security Administration (Passport or Passport Card, Global Entry cards, U.S. military IDs, airline or airport-issued IDs, federally recognized, and tribal-issued photo IDs,” the site said.
Access will still be available to some federal facilities as well, the site said, you will just need to show additional identification at those facilities – as of January 10, 2016 – if you have a non-compliant ID issued in Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and Washington state.
“Residents from a non-compliant state without extensions will need to show an alternative form of ID when visiting federal facilities, nuclear power plants and military bases,” the site said. “If planning a visit to one of these facilities, you should contact the agency in charge to confirm what alternative forms of identification are accepted or what procedures the facility allows for persons without acceptable identification.”
Your Illinois license will still be accepted when applying for a visitor pass to the Rock Island Arsenal, spokesman Mark Kane told QCOnline.
For U.S. citizens, additional ID includes documents such as a valid U.S. passport, original or certified copy of a birth certificate, consular report of birth abroad, certificate of naturalization from the Department of Homeland Security, or a certificate of citizenship. Non-citizens must show a valid permanent resident card, valid passport, government-issued document showing your full name, or a document from the Department of Homeland Security proving lawful presence in the U.S.
DHS previously declared Iowa is compliant with the REAL ID requirements.
