ST. LOUIS — If you've been to the airport recently, you've seen the signs. Soon, to board a plane, you're going to need a new type of driver's license.
For Missouri and Illinois residents, come October 2020, if you show your driver's license to fly, you must have what's called a REAL ID.
The change to driver's licenses was passed by Congress in 2005 and intended to be an added safety measure because you need more documentation to get a REAL ID.
To get one, you will need to bring a bunch of important documents to the DMV. You'll need your social security card, two documents that show your residency (such as a bank statement, a utility bill or a mortgage bill), proof of identity (such as a passport), and verify your name if you changed it (such as a marriage license).
However, the REAL ID is not needed for everything, such as driving a car or voting. It is needed if you want to use your driver's license for domestic flights or to enter federal facilities or nuclear power plant sites.
However, there are alternative forms of identification other than a REAL ID you can use. Those include a passport, a passport card or a military ID.
On Wednesday, a TSA spokesperson, the director of the St. Louis Lambert International Airport as well as state leaders from Illinois and Missouri will hold a press conference about the REAL ID taking effect in 2020.
For more information about REAL ID, you can visit the Department of Homeland Security's website.
