More than 66,300 Marylanders who have gotten a new REAL ID driver’s license or identification card — but haven’t filed their identification and residency documents with the Motor Vehicle Administration — must do so in the next month or risk having their licenses recalled, the agency announced Thursday.
Any drivers in that group still using the Maryland flag-themed license after the June deadline will still be a licensed driver, but if they are pulled over by police, the license will be confiscated as part of the recall, and they’ll be required to get a new one, the agency said.
“Customers who are part of this group MUST come to a MDOT MVA branch with the required documents as soon as possible and are urged to make an appointment,” the MVA said in a statement.
June is the first in a series of staggered deadlines the MVA is setting for drivers with updated licenses but outdated or insufficient paperwork on file with the MVA. All license-holders must have their paperwork on file by Oct. 1, 2020, the deadline set by the federal government, in order to use their licenses at airports or federal buildings.
How do I check if my license is REAL ID compliant — and if the June deadline applies to me?
The MVA has an online tool at mva.maryland.gov you can use. (The tool has been unresponsive Thursday amid a surge in traffic following the announcement.)
If the June deadline applies to you, the lookup tool will say: “You are required to present documents in order to meet federal REAL ID Act requirements. Please bring your documents to a MDOT MVA branch office by MM/DD/YYYY. Failure to respond may result in action against your Maryland Driver's License or ID card.”
If your deadline is not until November or later, the tool will display a generic message saying: “You are required to present documents in order to meet federal REAL ID Act requirements. Please CLICK HERE to begin gathering your required documents and to schedule an appointment to present them at a MDOT MVA branch office.”
MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer said the agency has been stepping up its efforts on social media, at public events like the Towsontown Spring Festival last week, with emails and mail notifications, and in phone calls reminding customers with upcoming appointments what they need to bring.
“Get in contact with us,” Nizer said. “If you have a question we want to walk you through the process and make it as understandable as possible.”
The MVA’s customer service center can be reached at 410-768-7000.
What’s the required documentation?
1. One proof of age and identity, such as an original or certified copy of your U.S. birth certificate or a valid, unexpired U.S. passport. (If your current legal name is different from what is listed on these documents, you will also need to provide a government-issued marriage certificate, divorce decree or other court document to explain the name change.)
2. One proof of Social Security, such as an original Social Security card, W-2 form or SSA-1099 (displaying your name and entire Social Security number).
3. Two proofs of Maryland residency, such as an insurance card, vehicle registration, credit card bill, utility bill, bank statement, or mail from a government agency. (They must display your name and Maryland residential address, and be from two separate organizations.)
What is REAL ID and why is this happening?
The federal REAL ID law, passed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, created nationwide security standards for state licenses and identification cards for use at airports and federal buildings. The law requires states to have the above documents on file for identity verification purposes.
Maryland began collecting the required documents from new drivers (including learner’s permits) and out-of-state transplants as part of the licensing process in July 2009, and it has required those documents from drivers renewing licenses since January 2018, to comply with federal law.
But more than half of the state’s 5 million licensed drivers have not filed the required documents with the MVA.