Need a Real ID? Time is running out to get one in Nevada

Does your Nevada driver’s license or identification card have a gold Nevada shape with a white star on the upper right hand corner? If not, the one-year countdown is on to obtain a Real ID from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles.

To meet federal requirements, Real IDs will be needed for anyone looking to use their driver’s license to get through security at airports for domestic flights nationwide. Secure federal facilities, such as military bases, already require Real IDs for entry; they do not accept standard driver’s licences.

In Nevada, over 1.8 million residents have already obtained a Real ID, which makes those with driver’s license or state issued IDs in the Silver State 76 percent compliant, according to DMV data. Leaving just over 568,000 people still possessing a standard driver’s license or ID.

Anyone 18 years of age and older without a Real ID has until May 7, 2025, to obtain one from the DMV. The original deadline was in 2020 and was pushed to May 3, 2023, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The deadline was again extended to 2025 due to transactions at DMV offices being backlogged as an effect of offices being closed during the pandemic.

Obtaining a Real ID requires an in-person visit to a DMV office, and those who still need to obtain one should make an appointment as soon as possible to ensure they have enough time to meet the deadline.

“My biggest suggestion is to not wait until the last minute,” DMV spokesman Sean Sever said. “Get a Real ID as soon as you can so you don’t get stuck in an airport on or after May 7, 2025.”

The DMV plans to offer the ability to obtain a Real ID online in the future as part of the ongoing modernization efforts.

The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 following a 9/11 Commission recommendation to enhance safety around airports and other federal facilities.

The security standards set by the Real ID Act include adding anti-counterfeiting technology, fraud protection, and the ability to use documentary evidence and record checks to verify a person’s identity.

Residents will need to provide the DMV with proof of identity (one document), proof of all name changes (if ones name has been changed), proof of Social Security number (one document) and proof of Nevada residential address (two documents).

For details on what documents will satisfy DMV requirements, Sever recommends residents going to www.getrealnevada.com for more information.

Contact Mick Akers at makers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X. Send questions and comments to roadwarrior@reviewjournal.com.