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How to get a Real ID in Pennsylvania as Enforcement Approaches

Real ID in Pennsylvania is just one year away!

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security postponed the enforcement date for REAL ID from October 1, 2021, to May 7, 2025.

Now, in just over a year, Pennsylvanians will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license/photo ID card, or another form of federally-acceptable identification (such as a valid passport or military ID) to:

  • Board domestic commercial flights.
  • Enter a military base.
  • Enter a federal facility that requires ID at the door.

And you can get them now!

This article will help you decide if you need a REAL ID, and provide information on what documents you will need and steps you can take to get an optional REAL ID.

Do I have to get a REAL ID?

No. If you do not get a REAL ID, you must have an alternate form of federally-acceptable identification (valid passport, military ID, etc.) to board domestic commercial flights and enter certain federal facilities after May 7, 2025.

You do NOT need a REAL ID to:

  • Drive.
  • Vote.
  • Access hospitals.
  • Visit the post office.
  • Access federal courts.
  • Apply for or receive federal benefits, such as social security or veterans’ benefits.
Do I have to get a REAL ID?

How to get a Real ID in Pennsylvania

To apply for REAL ID, residents in Pennsylvania need to go to a Driver’s License Center and bring:

  • your original or certified birth certificate or a valid United States passport,
  • a Social Security card or other legal form showing their name and full Social Security number,
  • two forms of identification showing their name and address and ,
  • if their name has been changed, documentation showing the change, like “a certified marriage certificate, court order, or adoption decree issued by your county’s family court,” PennDOT states.

PennDOT states that non-United States residents who are lawfully in the country and want a REAL ID driver’s license or identification card are required to bring other documents listed on the website: https://www.dmv.pa.gov/REALID/Pages/REAL-ID-Non-U.S.Citizens.aspx

Once certified for a Real ID, your driver’s license will be stamped with a gold star in the right corner, showing the person has the REAL ID verification. The verification is renewed when the person’s driver’s license is up for renewal.

The cost of a Real ID is $30, on top of the driver’s license fee. This is a one-time fee.

Can I get Real ID at CNS Licensing Center?

No. You can get a Real ID through PennDOT only.

Did you know that the best time to visit a PennDOT or a Photo License Center is between 8:15 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays? Now you do!


Do you need driver’s license renewals, records, duplicates, etc?

At CNS Licensing Center, we offer several services related to driver licensing, handling much of the same things that the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) handles, but our facility may be much more convenient for you.

This includes:

  • INSTANT Driver License Renewals (non commercial)
  • INSTANT Driving Records
  • INSTANT Photo ID Renewals
  • Address Change (INSTANT Update card)
  • Restoration Services
  • Duplicate Drivers Licenses
  • Photo ID Duplicate*

If you have any questions, call (717)627.4334 or email at info@cnslicensing.com.