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Check your driver’s license. Does it have a white star in a gold circle in the top right-hand corner? That’s the REAL ID symbol, mandated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to indicate the license complies with security standards established by the REAL ID Act passed by Congress.
No star? No worries. There’s still time to make an appointment at an Orange County Department of Motor Vehicles office to update your license before May 7. That’s when your driver’s license must be REAL ID-compliant if you plan to use it to fly domestically or enter a federal building, like the U.S. Courthouse Annex or George C. Young Federal Building and Courthouse in downtown Orlando.
In West Orange County, the closest DMV office is at the West Oaks Mall in Ocoee at 9401 W. Colonial Drive.
Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 after the 9/11 Commission recommended that the federal government standardize identification sources, like driver’s licenses, according to the DHS. Florida began issuing REAL ID-compliant driver licenses on Jan. 1, 2010, according to the Florida Department of Highway and Safety Vehicles. Federal enforcement began in 2020, but was complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The deadline was last extended in 2023 to the current May 7 date.
Speaking at Winter Garden's March 13 city commission meeting, Landra Wormack, community relations specialist for the Orange County Tax Collector, said Orange County was about 90 percent compliant in terms of license updates. "But there's always one in the room," she said, referring to folks who hadn't yet renewed. Sure enough, after the meeting, a gentleman made a beeline for Wormack because his driver's license didn't have a star.
To update your license, you’ll need documents that verify your identity. These can include a U.S. birth certificate or valid U.S. passport, consular record of birth abroad or certificates of naturalization or citizenship.
You’ll also need to verify your social security number. A social security card works, but so do paychecks or paystubs and IRS forms like the 1099 and W-2.
Finally, you’ll need two documents that verify your local address. These can include a deed, utility bills, vehicle registration or a letter from a homeless shelter, provided it’s dated within the last 30 days.
Mobile driver’s licenses or digital licenses on smart phones are getting more popular, and DHS has temporarily amended some regulations to allow states to apply for waivers to use digital licenses after May 7. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is currently testing mobile driver’s licenses with 11 states at 27 airports, but it may be a while before these can be used at Florida airports.
For those who miss the May 7 deadline and still have flights to catch, TSA accepts U.S. passports and passport cards, permanent residence cards, veteran health identification cards and federally recognized tribal nation cards, among others.
And provided a passenger is willing to submit to a lengthy identification process, TSA may still permit someone to fly even without any of the above.
