REAL ID in Pennsylvania

Update as of November 16, 2017

Since Act 3 of 2017 was passed in May of this year, planning the deployment of REAL ID has been a key operational focus for PennDOT. PennDOT has committed to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that REAL ID-compliant products will be available to customers by spring 2019.

This is Pennsylvania’s progress to this point:

What are the required documents to receive a REAL ID Product?

REAL ID regulations require that for a customer to be issued a REAL ID-compliant product, PennDOT must verify the following documents:

Proof of Identity (Original or certified copy of a birth certificate with a raised seal or valid U.S. Passport)

Proof of Social Security Number (Social security card) Proof of all Legal Name Changes (Marriage license or court order issued by your county's family court)

Two Proofs of Current, Physical PA Address (Current, unexpired PA license or ID and a no more than 90-day-old bank statement or utility bill with the same name and address)

What are the steps to REAL ID product issuance?

PennDOT’s approach to issuing REAL ID products has the customer at the forefront, both those who want to opt-in to REAL ID and those that decide not to opt-in. As such PennDOT has devised a phased approach that emphasizes a streamlined process, while continuing to meet DHS requirements. This streamlined process allows for pre-vetting of documents as a customer choice before REAL ID products are in production.

Phase 1: Post-Legal Presence Customers

Since Pennsylvania’s legal presence law went into effect in September 2003, PennDOT has kept microfilm until 2007 and electronic images thereafter of the documents presented by the customer as part of proving legal presence. Customers who received their first PA driver’s license or ID card AFTER September 2003 (approximately 3.5M customers) are considered Phase 1 customers.

Beginning in March 2018, these customers will receive a postcard instructing them to visit PennDOT’s website to receive additional information about their option to receive a REAL ID product, if they choose to do so.

Once verified, PennDOT will mark the customer’s record as “verified.” After REAL ID products are available in the spring of 2019, the customer will be able to opt into the REAL ID program. Once payment is received The REAL ID product will be sent to the customer through the US Postal Service and will be received in 7-10 days. This process will eliminate any need for a customer who has received their initial DL or ID post-legal presence to visit a Driver License Center.

Phase 2: Pre-Legal Presence Customers.

The remaining 65% of PennDOT’s customers received their initial product BEFORE September 2003, meaning that for those customers who want to opt-in, PennDOT does not have their required REAL ID documents on file. Phase 2 customers will need to be verified in person. PennDOT’s existing 71 Driver’s License Centers will be equipped to verify these documents beginning in September 2018.

This subset of customers will also receive a postcard beginning in September 2018, encouraging them to first visit PennDOT’s website to receive additional information about opting into REAL ID. We want customers to be prepared before they come to a driver license center by encouraging them to acquire all the needed documents in advance of their visit. Customers may also call PennDOT’s call center or visit an Online Messenger for assistance, but will need to visit a driver license center to have their documents verified and imaged.

Once verified, PennDOT will mark the customer’s record as “verified.” After REAL ID products are available in the spring of 2019, the customer will be able to opt into the REAL ID program. Once payment is received, the customer’s REAL ID product will be mailed to them, or they may visit one of the designated REAL ID Centers for the REAL ID product to be issued over the counter.

Fees and REAL ID Product Expiration.

PennDOT will assess a one-time fee that is currently being finalized. Customers will pay the one-time fee, plus a renewal fee (current renewal fee is $30.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver’s license or a photo ID, $50.50 if the customer has a Class M).

The expiration date of their initial REAL ID product will include any time remaining on their existing non-REAL ID product, plus an additional four (or in some cases, two) years. Structuring the expiration date this way means that the customer won’t “lose” time that they’ve already paid for. After the initial REAL ID product expires, the customer will pay no additional fee, beyond regular renewal fees, to renew a REAL ID product.

Non-U.S. Citizens applying for a REAL ID will pay the one-time REAL ID fee plus the applicable duplicate fee and be issued a duplicate product and keep the current expiration date, which corresponds with their legal presence expiration date. CDL holders applying for a REAL ID will also have the option of purchasing a duplicate product, in lieu of renewing their CDL and paying all the applicable commercial fees. Customer age 65 and older may apply for a two-year Driver’s license product.

Customer Options for Issuance Post-Deployment

When the REAL ID products are available in the spring of 2019 customers who opt-in for a REAL ID product and qualified as post legal presence will receive their REAL ID product in the mail. Customers who are required to present their documents in person for verification, and have not gone through the pre-verification process described earlier will have two options for obtaining their REAL ID products once available, as outlined below.

Option 1: REAL ID Issuance at Intake-Only Locations (Existing Driver License Centers)

Current PA Driver’s License or ID Holders

The 71 existing Driver License Centers do not meet DHS regulations for the issuance of REAL ID products over the counter. However, PennDOT will make upgrades to the existing Driver License Centers to allow for required documents to be verified and imaged.

The customer will be given a system-generated receipt outlining their new expiration date. PennDOT will add a REAL ID indicator to the DL/ID record, and use the customers photo on file (from their most recent renewal) for product update. After the record is updated and all fees paid, the record will be sent in an overnight batch to our DL/ID vendor for Central Issuance. The REAL ID product will be sent to the customer through the US Postal Service and will be received in 7-10 days.

Out-of-State Transfers and REAL ID Initial Issuance

The base REAL ID documentation process will be the same for new customers as described above, but PennDOT will obtain an initial photo for product issuance. Once the driving record has been established, the customer will be given a system-generated receipt/driving document and proceed to the in-house Photo License Center to have their initial photo taken. The REAL ID product will be sent to the customer through the US Postal Service and will be received in 7-10 days.

Option 2: REAL ID Issuance at REAL ID Centers

The documentation process will be the same as described above, however, instead of the REAL ID product being issued centrally, the customer will receive their REAL ID product over-the-counter at the time of service. There will be up to 13 REAL ID Centers.