You may need to renew your driver’s license early if you want to fly

Check your Kansas driver’s license.

If you want to use it to fly in the United States, you will need to upgrade it before Sept. 30, 2020 – whether or not it expires by then.

By that date, you must use identification that complies with the Real ID Act to board planes and enter some federal facilities.

Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005. To obtain Real ID-compliant identification, you must show proof of Social Security number documentation (such as your Social Security card) and your birth certificate or U.S. passport.

Kansas began rolling out new, Real ID-compliant licenses on Tuesday, the agency said on Thursday. But about half of the 2.5 million license holders in the state have license renewal dates after the 2020 deadline.

If you have a license with a renewal date after the 2020 cutoff, you will need to visit a DMV before then if you want a Real ID-compliant license. The cost to get the new license – with a star noting that it is compliant – is $8.

“We are starting to issue these new forms of ID three years ahead of when it’s required by the federal government for airport security purposes, so we can take advantage of the normal renewal cycles for most Kansans,” Revenue Secretary Sam Williams said.

“There’s no need to rush in for a new ID, but it’s something the public needs to be aware of.”

The Kansas Department of Revenue has been asking for the Real ID information since 2011, so your information may already be on file with the state. But you should take the documents with you to be certain.

Proponents pushed for Real ID as a way to set minimum security standards for identification nationwide after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. But some say it could amount to an invasion of privacy, potentially allowing the federal government to build a database of personal information.

Drivers can still choose to receive a license that doesn’t comply with Real ID. Those licenses will still be valid forms of state identification.

This story was originally published August 3, 2017 at 12:25 PM with the headline "You may need to renew your driver’s license early if you want to fly."