Anyone trying to get through airport security or access to a government facility in Iowa will eventually be required to have a national REAL ID identification card.
The federal identification card system is a reality for Iowa starting January 15, 2013. That’s the deadline for all states to be in compliance with the REAL ID Act.
Starting then, Iowa residents will have the option of getting a REAL ID non-motorist identification card or a REAL ID driver’s license if they meet state requirements for driving.
The new identification cards are supposed to enhance passing through security at airports and other facilities. The REAL ID system interacts with federal databases to verify the authenticity of documents submitted to prove your identity.
To get a REAL ID card, applicants must show proof of their full legal name, date of birth, social security number and home address. The REAL ID Act requires states to keep paper or digital copies of those proof of identity documents.
For now, Iowans with a non-REAL ID driver’s license can decide whether to get the new one or keep your existing license.
People born after December 1, 1964 will be required to get a REAL ID card to pass through screening at airports and government facilities as of December 2014. People born on or before December 1, 1964 have until December 1, 2017 to comply with the new identification requirement.
By December 1, 2017 everyone will need a REAL ID card to pass through screening at federal facilities and at airports.
The REAL ID system was enacted by Congress in 2005. It has been challenged by the ACLU and others who say REAL ID gives government too much authority and ability to track citizens.
Iowa adopted the system with final approval in September 2012. Not all states have adopted using the REAL ID system.
The ACLU reported Illinois is one of nine states which enacted resolutions denouncing REAL ID laws.
You can read more about the REAL ID system on the Department of Homeland Security website at this link: http://www.dhs.gov/secure-drivers-licenses
