At the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), there’s no “last day” to get a REAL ID—just plenty of good days to apply.
DMV encourages customers to plan ahead by scheduling an appointment one to two months before their next flight or visit to a secure federal facility. If you’re planning to travel or need access soon, it’s a good idea to start the REAL ID process today.
Also, be sure to check the expiration date on your current credential. You can renew your license or ID up to a year before it expires. If it’s time to renew, make your appointment early—ideally one to two months in advance.
Holders of licenses and ID cards that meet federal requirements will be able to use their Virginia DMV-issued credentials as identification to access federal buildings, including military installations and board domestic flights.
Getting a REAL ID-compliant license or ID card during your renewal is optional and voluntary. When it's time to renew, Virginia driver’s license and ID card holders can choose between a REAL ID-compliant credential or a standard Virginia credential—whichever best fits your needs.
If you choose a standard credential when you apply, your renewal process will be the same as it’s always been. If you’d like to upgrade to a REAL ID, you can get started online. The process is quick and easy, and it will guide you through which documents to bring with you to DMV. Start your application.
Effective May 7, 2025, the federal government is enforcing REAL ID, meaning a REAL ID will be required if you use a state-issued ID to board domestic flights. Other forms of identification, such as a U.S. passport will also be accepted.
According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), passengers who present a state-issued identification that is not REAL ID compliant and who do not have another acceptable alternative (i.e., a passport) can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being permitted into the security checkpoint.
The Transportation Security Administration indicates that it will accept the following identification documents:
- U.S. passport
- U.S. passport card
- DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
- U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents
- Permanent resident card
- Border crossing card
- Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID
- HSPD-12 PIV card
- Foreign government-issued passport
- Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card
- Transportation Worker Identification Credential
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)
- U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential
The process is similar to Virginia’s current driver’s license/ID card application process. All applicants for a REAL ID compliant credential, including current Virginia credential holders, must apply in-person, pay a one-time $10 REAL ID surcharge in addition to standard fees and provide DMV with physical documentation of:
- Identity (e.g. Unexpired U.S. passport or U.S. birth certificate)
- Legal Presence (e.g. Unexpired U.S. passport or U.S. birth certificate)
- Social Security Number (e.g. Social Security card or W-2 form)
- Residency (two proofs required). (e.g. utility bills, mortgage statements, Virginia driver’s license displaying current Virginia residential street address)
- Proof of any name change (e.g. marriage certificates or divorce decrees)
Note: If the name on your identity document is different than your legal name, you must show proof of your name change.
Find a list of proof documents that Virginia currently accepts on either
- DMV’s Online Document Guide
- Obtaining a Virginia Driver's License or Identification Card (DMV 141)
If you need a replacement Social Security card, see Get a Replacement Social Security Card.
Renewing or replacing your current Virginia driver’s license? Existing customers who want to upgrade to REAL ID can start their REAL ID application online. This easy process will help you select which documents to bring to DMV. You may also download a copy of the application.
If you are applying for a first-time driver’s license or ID, you can also start your application online.
Yes, you can get a REAL ID even if your driver’s license or ID card doesn’t expire for several years. We encourage customers to plan ahead by making an appointment well in advance of any travel or visits to secure federal facilities.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration does not require children under age 18 to provide identification when traveling with a companion within the United States. The companion will need acceptable identification. Please note that airlines may have individual policies on minor children and require identification.
REAL ID is not required for the following activities:
- Entering federal facilities such as museums that do not require a person to present identification
- Applying for or receiving federal benefits
- Accessing health or life preserving services (including hospitals and health clinics), law enforcement, or constitutionally protected activities (including a defendant’s access to court proceedings)
- Participating in law enforcement proceedings or investigations.
REAL ID is not required to vote, register to vote, or to be licensed by a state to drive.
DHS has not released an approved documents list for entrance into federal facilities. Many federal facilities may have control over acceptable identification documents for entrance. If you are looking to enter a specific facility, DMV suggests contacting that facility directly.
Effective immediately, some military bases may no longer accept non-REAL ID compliant credentials which display “Federal Limits Apply.” Please verify identification requirements prior to your visit.
Identification requirements for each military base may vary. Effective immediately, some military bases may no longer accept non-REAL ID compliant credentials which display “Federal Limits Apply.” If you hold a driver’s license or ID that says “Federal Limits Apply” and need to access a military base, you may have to present another form of identification such as a U.S. Passport or military ID. Please verify identification requirements before your visit.
REAL ID-compliant licenses and ID cards look similar to those issued before October 1, 2018, but they include a small star inside a circle in the top right corner of the credential. Cards that are not REAL ID-compliant will say “Federal Limits Apply” on the face of the card.
Many people change their names due to marriage, adoption, divorce or other reasons. To get a REAL ID compliant credential, you must provide proof documents that show a direct link between your name changes. Those documents include a marriage certificate filed with a government agency or court, divorce decree or a court order granting the name change. Marriage licenses, civil union documents, and marriage certificates signed only by the wedding officiant (for example, a member of the clergy) will NOT be accepted.
Multiple documents may be necessary if your name has changed more than once. For example, if your birth certificate displays your maiden name but your driver’s license displays your married name, you’ll need to bring a certified copy of your marriage certificate filed with a government agency or court to link the documents.
If you’ve lost your birth or marriage certificate from Virginia, you can get a certified replacement copy at DMV. However, if you have a U.S. passport or passport card that matches your current legal name and all of your other proof documents, you can use that document as proof of identity and legal presence, rather than a birth certificate.
Federal law requires that your first application for a REAL ID-compliant credential be done in person. After you've received your first REAL ID-compliant credential, you may renew it online according to the standard schedule.
If you’d prefer to stick with a standard credential and you're eligible, you can renew online with no extra steps.
If you were born or married in Virginia, you can request a certified copy of these documents at any of DMV’s 75 customer service centers. Please see Vital Records at DMV for more information. If you were born, married or divorced in another state, you can request a certified copy of these documents from the state in which they were issued.
DMV also accepts valid U.S. passports or passport cards and some other documents as proof of identity and legal presence. You can find a list of proof documents that Virginia currently accepts on "Obtaining a Virginia Driver's License or Identification Card (DMV 141).
At this time, Virginia DMV does not have a process for customers to pre-scan and upload REAL ID documents from home. To get a REAL ID, you must bring your documents to a Virginia DMV office for review.
Please be cautious—any website claiming to offer document upload services for REAL ID is not affiliated with the Virginia DMV. For your security, customers should not submit any images of personal documents to such websites, as they will not reach us and could put your information at risk.
You can get a head start by filling out your REAL ID application online on our website. This will guide you through the process, but it won’t ask you to upload any documents.
The federal REAL ID Act requires states to maintain copies of all customer proof documents presented as part of a REAL ID application. The security of customer documentation and records is of the utmost importance to DMV and the agency follows the highest security standards. As such, REAL ID documents are scanned and securely stored in an encrypted format and DMV access to those records is heavily restricted.
For your privacy, customers may redact or black out information that does not pertain to the REAL ID transaction, such as financial information on a bank statement or W-2 form.
Both are secure. Virginia completely overhauled its driver’s licenses and IDs in 2009 to include the security features present in your current credential. The only physical difference between compliant and non-compliant cards is the marking in the top right corner of the credential. To meet the requirements of the REAL ID Act, compliant cards display a circle with a small star while non-compliant cards display “Federal Limits Apply.”
Starting May 7, 2025, these markers will be used to indicate whether you can use your ID as identification necessary to board a domestic flight or enter some secure federal facilities. If you don’t have a compliant card, you can use another federally approved form of ID; please see above for a complete list. Please note that, effective immediately, some military bases may no longer accept non-REAL ID compliant credentials which display “Federal Limits Apply.” Please verify identification requirements prior to your visit.