MA Residents Need a Real ID Starting October

What You Need to Know About the REAL ID Updates

 

From October 2020, residents in Massachusetts will need a REAL ID to board an airplane, which means that their driver’s license will need a star, indicating that it is a REAL ID credential. Otherwise, they will need another form of approved identification to board their flight or enter a secure federal facility or military base. The Massachusetts’s REAL ID driver’s license and identification cards have a start in the upper right-hand corner inside a gold circle. This indicates that it meets federal regulations that establish minimum security standards.

From October 1, 2020, you will need a REAL ID to board a plane. Travelers will soon start seeing signs at airports nationwide to remind them to update their licenses or take another piece of approved forms of ID with them. Individuals who are unable to verify their identity will not be permitted to enter the TSA checkpoint and will not be allowed to fly.

Massachusetts residents have the option to upgrade to a REAL ID if their license does not currently have the star or stick with an older standard driver’s license. However, a standard credential – without the star – will not be valid to board a flight or to access secure federal facilities, including military bases and some federal offices and will have the words “Not for Federal ID†printed at the top.

To get the REAL ID star on a driver’s license, individuals will need to visit their local Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles office in person and bring certain documents to prove U.S. citizenship and Massachusetts residency. Required documents include one proof of identity, one proof of legal presence, two proofs of Massachusetts residency, your social security card (if you’ve been issued one) and a current driver’s license if you are applying to exchange one issued by another U.S. state. It is imperative to get this sorted before October 1, 2020 if you plan on traveling via airplane.

Find out more information on the TSA website.

At CAV Insurance Agency in Wellesley, MA, we like to keep you informed of the latest updates and news you should know. We work with companies like Chubb and AIG who offer a broad range of insurance coverage to help keep you and your family safe. Contact us today for more information!