REAL ID is a nationwide effort to improve the integrity and security of state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards, which in turn will help fight terrorism and reduce fraud. The REAL ID Act sets minimum standards for the creation and issuance of the documents by motor vehicle agencies.
Current Status
Verification Hub
Implementation Plans
Frequently Asked Questions
AAMVA Partners
Current Status
AAMVA Issues Statement on PASS ID
Arlington, VA--Today [June 22, 2009], the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) issued the following statement concerning the U.S. Senate’s recently-introduced PASS ID bill.
"The introduction of PASS ID in the U.S. Senate illustrates that lawmakers recognize the implementation challenges with the current law and are open to workable solutions. This is a significant and positive step towards enabling states to comply with federal standards for secure driver’s licenses while maintaining state flexibility and reducing the costs for implementation. Motor vehicle agencies have a demonstrated history of improving the integrity and security of driver's licenses and identification cards and AAMVA looks forward to working with both Congress and the Administration to help state motor vehicle agencies implement a practical solution."
New Legislation Will Amend REAL ID
On June 15, 2009, the "Providing for Additional Security in States' Identification Act of 2009" (PASS ID) was introduced in the United States Senate. This legislation amends the REAL ID Act to enhance the security and integrity of driver’s licenses and identification cards (DL/IDs) while offering flexibility for states and reducing the costs of implementation. Since its enactment in 2005, states have maintained that the timelines and requirements of REAL ID are unrealistic and that the costs of complying with the act far outweigh existing sources of funding. This legislative proposal is the result of a collaboration led by the National Governors Association (NGA) to address the major privacy and cost concerns that would allow all states to participate in a secure DL/ID system. Significant differences between REAL ID and PASS ID include eliminating fees for using existing federally run databases to issue DL/IDs, using the SAVE and SSOLV systems but eliminating the development of new data systems, strengthening privacy protections by requiring procedures to prevent the unauthorized access to or sharing of information. More information on the Senate legislation will soon be posted to the AAMVA Website.
Verification Hub
AAMVA has been working with the REAL ID Verification Systems Working Group to develop an evaluation framework for assessing architectures for the State-to-State verification requirement.
Verification hub information and updates
Implementation Plans
2008 Year End State Status | 2007 Year End State Status
Florida
The Florida legislature enacted several law changes affecting its driver's licenses this year. Some highlights are included here. Most of these changes are to prepare Florida for Real ID implementation by January 2010.
REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions
AAMVA has pulled together frequently asked questions (FAQs) about REAL ID and placed them in a searchable database for AAMVA members. These questions are from jurisdictions and the answers have been supplied by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This online tool allows you to do the following:
- search by Topic/Section of the Rule
- search using free text
- run reports.
A user guide and tutorial are also available online.
Note: This database is available to AAMVA members only.
AAMVA Partners