Welcome back to Philip James Travel!
I write to you weekly in an effort to offer you some relevant content pertaining to travel. Occasionally I’ll write about places that might inspire you to think, “hey, I want to go there!” And sometimes I’ll write about new developments in the travel industry like great new hotels being built, or experiences that you might not want to miss. And then sometimes, like today, I simply want to share some information about the practical side of travel that I think you ought to know. In today’s case, it’s REAL ID.
Real ID, huh? You may have heard this term tossed around over the last few years as is relates to security measures when boarding domestic airline flights. If you don’t already know, you’ll need a REAL ID to board a plane effective October 1st, 2020.
How do I get a REAL ID? In order to obtain a REAL ID you must go to your local Office of Motor Vehicles location and provide the following documentation; you cannot obtain a REAL ID online:
One document (with full name) proving identity and date of birth (birth certificate, US passport, valid unexpired foreign passport)
One document (with full name and Social Security number) confirming Social Security number (Social Security card, 1099 tax form, W-2 form)
Two Documents (with current physical address) proving Louisiana residency (utility bill or cable bill, school records, Louisiana vehicle registration card, insurance policy or title, housing lease or contract, mortgage statement, property or income tax statement military orders or military documents)
If applicable, you will need to provide one or more documents verifying any name changes. The deadline for Federal REAL ID requirements is Oct. 1, 2020.
The good news for those of you whose Louisiana driver’s licenses have recently expired, or will expire prior to October 1st you will be automatically issued a REAL ID when you renew. The identifying mark of a REAL ID in Louisiana is a white star encircled in gold in the upper right corner of the front of your driver’s license.
If you’d like more information on this thrilling but necessary topic, please click here: https://appengine.egov.com/apps/la/RealID
As always, if I can be of any assistance to you as a trusted resource, please let me know. Until next time, try to dream a little bigger than your trip to the DMV!
Philip -