Pennsylvania residents are urged to prepare for the upcoming federal REAL ID enforcement deadline on May 7, 2025. To facilitate this, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced special REAL ID service hours at its Penn Hills Driver License Center. This initiative aims to provide an additional opportunity for individuals to obtain their REAL ID, ensuring compliance with federal requirements for domestic air travel and entry into certain federal facilities.
“We’re committed to ensuring our customers are ready for the REAL ID enforcement deadline of May 7, 2025,” stated PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kara Templeton. “By offering special hours on a day when our centers are typically closed, we’re providing an additional opportunity for those who want to obtain a REAL ID and be prepared. We are always looking for ways to provide a better service to residents and our REAL ID Days accomplishes that mission.”
Over 2.5 million Pennsylvanians have already opted into the REAL ID program. While obtaining a REAL ID is optional in Pennsylvania, it will become a necessity starting May 7, 2025. Without a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card, or another federally accepted form of identification such as a valid passport or military ID, residents will be unable to perform crucial activities, including boarding domestic commercial flights and entering military bases or certain federal facilities.
For those uncertain about whether a REAL ID is the right choice, PennDOT offers a helpful REAL ID online wizard to guide them through the decision-making process.
Understanding REAL ID Document Requirements
Federal REAL ID regulations mandate that PennDOT must verify specific documents to issue a compliant ID. These include:
- Proof of Identity: This can be an original or certified copy of a birth certificate filed with the State Office of Vital Records/Statistics, featuring a raised/embossed seal, or a valid, unexpired U.S. Passport.
- Proof of Social Security Number: The submitted documentation must display the applicant’s currently legal name and the full nine digits of their Social Security Number. Acceptable forms include a Social Security card, W-2 form, SSA-1099 form, non-SSA-1099 form, or a pay stub.
- Two Proofs of Current, Physical PA Address: Examples include a current, unexpired PA driver’s license or identification card, vehicle registration, or a utility bill bearing the same name and address.
- Proof of All Legal Name Changes: If the applicant’s current legal name differs from the name on their proof of identity document, they must provide documentation such as certified marriage certificates issued by the County Court for each marriage, court orders approving a change in legal name, or an adoption decree from the county’s family court. If the current name matches the proof of identity document, no proof of legal name change is needed.
Comprehensive details regarding REAL ID document requirements are available on PennDOT’s REAL ID website.
Costs and Issuance Process
The initial REAL ID product comes with a one-time fee of $30, in addition to the applicable renewal fee. Currently, the renewal fee is $39.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver’s license and $42.50 for a photo ID. The expiration date of the initial REAL ID will encompass any remaining time on the existing non-REAL ID product, plus an additional four years, with an exception for individuals over 65 who have a two-year license. This structure ensures that customers do not lose any prepaid validity time. Subsequent renewals of a REAL ID product will only require the regular renewal fee.
Upon presenting the required documentation and paying the applicable fee, customers can obtain their REAL ID-compliant product through two methods:
- Mail Delivery: If the application is submitted at a Driver License Center, such as the Penn Hills Driver License Center, the REAL ID product will be mailed and typically received within 15 days.
- Over-the-Counter Issuance: Customers who apply at one of PennDOT’s 15 dedicated REAL ID Centers can receive their product on the same day.
For Pennsylvanians who obtained their first driver’s license, learner’s permit, or photo ID card after September 1, 2003, PennDOT may already have their REAL ID documentation on file. These individuals are encouraged to apply for REAL ID pre-verification and subsequently order their REAL ID-compliant product online.
A complete listing of driver license centers, REAL ID Centers, and the services they offer can be found by visiting the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website and navigating to the “Find A Location” section.
For further information about REAL ID, please visit PennDOT’s REAL ID website. It is important to remember that while REAL ID is optional for Pennsylvanians, it will be mandatory for domestic air travel and entry into certain federal facilities after the May 7, 2025 deadline. A passport will remain essential for international travel.
Motorists can stay informed about current road conditions on major highways by visiting www.511PA.com. This free service, available 24/7, provides real-time traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to over 1,000 traffic cameras. The 511PA service is also accessible via a smartphone application for both iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
Stay updated with PennDOT news by following them on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
MEDIA CONTACT: Aimee Inama, ainama@pa.gov or 717-787-0485
