The BDN Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom, and does not set policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com.
In the early days of new federal ID requirements, we were not fans of Real ID. The federal law, which requires uniform state identification card standards, seemed like a bureaucratic solution in search of a problem. There were also valid concerns about the security of the new information that states would collect.
The rollout of Real ID was long delayed, and Maine, along with other states, received numerous extensions to comply with the law, passed by Congress in 2005 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Maine was one of the last states to comply with the federal law in 2018.
It has been clear for years, however, that the Real ID requirements were not going away and no more extension would be granted. Maine began issuing Real ID-compliant licenses and identification cards in 2019.
Now, Americans in every state will have to show a Real ID-compliant drivers license or identification card to board a plane or enter federal buildings starting on May 7. You can use a passport instead, but many Americans don’t have one.
Given this reality, we believe that continuing to fight against Real ID is counterproductive, and will add to the confusion that already surrounds the new identification that will soon be essential for most air travel.
State Rep. Laurel Libby has submitted legislation to stop Maine from issuing Real ID-compliant identification. In the past, we shared many of Libby’s concerns about the need for the new licenses and about data privacy. However, many of those concerns have been addressed and it is too late to change course, with the federal government set to require a Real ID in a few months.
“The reality is the federal government is going to require a Real ID or other federal identification in order for people to fly domestically,” Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told the Portland Press Herald earlier this month. “For that reason, I think it would be foolish to prohibit the Bureau of Motor Vehicles from issuing something the federal government is going to require Mainers to have to fly domestically.”
Bellows, as a former lawmaker and head of the Maine ACLU, long opposed Real ID, as did former Secretary of State Matt Dunlap.
Maine has one of the lowest rates of Real ID uptake in the country, with about a quarter of state-issued IDs complying with the federal law, compared to more than half nationwide.
No one is forced to get a Real ID-compliant license in Maine. Standard licenses are still being issued. But, these licenses and ID cards will not be satisfactory for domestic air travel or entry into federal facilities starting on May 7.
Rather than risk complicating a trip or vital appointment, it’s time to get a Real ID if you don’t already have one.
To obtain a Real-ID compliant license or identification card, Mainers must provide: one document that establishes identity, date of birth, and proof of U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residence, or other lawful status in the U.S. (such as a passport or birth certificate); two documents to establish proof of residence in the state, such as a utility bill, paycheck stub or mortgage statement; and a Social Security number or evidence of Social Security Number ineligibility. If your name has changed, through marriage for example, you will need documentation to verify the name change. For the full list of Real-ID requirements, visit the Bureau of Motor Vehicles Real ID checklist.
A Real ID license costs $55.
We have long been Real ID skeptics. But after years of delayed deadlines and confusion, these IDs will be the new reality for certain facilities and travel starting in May. Any state efforts to change that, at this point, would only add more unnecessary confusion.
