The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) and Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport are reminding travelers to prepare for the federal Real ID Act implementation. Today at a busy transportation checkpoint in Concourse D & E of BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer and BWI Marshall Airport Executive Director Ricky Smith discussed Real ID and its importance for airline travel.
Passed by Congress in 2005, the federal Real ID Act requires security standards for those who wish to access federal facilities (such as military bases and federal agencies), federally regulated commercial aircrafts, and nuclear power plants. Maryland has been a Real ID compliant state since 2011 and has continued to prepare and educate its customers about the upcoming changes. Effective October 1, 2020, these standards will be enforced at card level, which means that individuals must have a Real ID compliant driver’s license or identification card in order to use it for any federal purpose, including boarding an airplane. To date, more than 1.8 million Maryland customers have provided the necessary documents required by Real ID.
“Ensuring the appropriate documents are on file with MDOT MVA for your driver’s license or identification card and that you have the new secure Maryland driver’s license or identification card will allow you to have the highest level of security and know that you can use that document when traveling,” stated MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer. “Knowing the ‘Core Four’ and securing current copies of the required documents early will save time.”
Since late 2017, MDOT MVA customers have been receiving notices as their driver’s license or identification card expires if they need to provide documents consistent with Real ID. Starting this month, MDOT MVA customers who have the new version of the Maryland driver’s license or identification card but do not have documents on file will begin receiving notices by email to make an appointment to bring the documents to an MDOT MVA branch office.
MDOT MVA is encouraging all customers to use the Real ID Online Lookup Tool at www.mva.maryland.gov/realid, to determine if they will be required to bring documents to an MDOT MVA branch office. Customers can also use the online checklist to identify their ‘Core Four’ documents needed for license or identification card renewal that include:
- 1 document demonstrating identity and age (birth certificate or passport);
- 1 document demonstrating proof of Social Security (Social Security card, W-2 form, SSA 1099);
- 2 documents demonstrating proof of Maryland residency (i.e. utility bill, credit card bill, government correspondence, etc.).
Once finalizing the checklist and securing documents, customers are encouraged to make an appointment online at the MDOT MVA website and then visit a local branch to renew.
“Having the Real ID compliant cards will save time for those traveling at BWI Marshall Airport and many other airports nationwide,” stated BWI Marshall Airport Executive Director Ricky Smith. “Providing a safe and efficient experience for our customers ensures that everyone arrives at their destinations safely. We also encourage travelers to take advantage of the TSA Pre✓® services when they are visiting their local MDOT MVA branches.”
MDOT MVA offers six locations (Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Frederick, Salisbury, Gaithersburg, Salisbury, Waldorf) where in-branch TSA Pre✓® services are available. To learn more about Real ID and TSA Pre✓® , visit www.mva.maryland.gov/odg to review the Online Document Guide and additional information.
