Summary
On December 20, 2013, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a phased enforcement plan for the REAL ID Act 2005 (P.L. 109-13). The act mandated the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that states meet specific standards when issuing driver’s licenses and identification (ID) cards used for federal purposes. The enforcement of REAL ID will be implemented in four phases, starting April 21, 2014, with the requirement of a compliant ID to enter the DHS complex in Washington, DC, and ending no sooner than 2016 with the same requirement for boarding commercial aircraft. Currently, 35 states and territories do not meet the standards set by REAL ID.