REAL ID deadline extended by a year in Illinois and across the U.S.
READ MORE
Keep up with all the coronavirus news in southwestern Illinois
Stay updated with the events in southwestern Illinois that have been canceled or postponed because of coronavirus concerns.
Expand All
The federal government’s deadline requiring U.S. residents to have a REAL ID driver’s license to board a plane for domestic flights has been extended by one year to Oct. 1, 2021, as states deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Current Illinois driver’s licenses or ID cards will continue to be accepted at airports, military bases and secure federal facilities until Oct. 1, 2021,” the Illinois Secretary of State’s office said in a news release Thursday.
Secretary of State Jesse White has closed the state’s driver’s licenses offices to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus . He previously asked the federal government to delay the implementation of the new driver’s license deadline.
The REAL IDs have a gold star on them, and you need to bring additional documentation with you when you apply for one.
If you don’t have a REAL ID, you can still use a passport to board a plane.
“The decision to extend the REAL ID deadline to Oct. 1, 2021 – a year past the old deadline – is the proper and necessary action during this time of uncertainty and crisis,” White said in the news release. “I urge Illinoisans with valid driver’s licenses and ID cards not to rush to our facilities to obtain a REAL ID once they reopen.”
Illinois residents can still conduct many online transactions with the Secretary of State’s office at www.cyberdriveillinois.com.
