Representative John Taylor spoke at the Northwood Civic Association meeting on January 17th about the possible problems ahead concerning the Pennsylvania driver’s license no longer being acceptable ID for entering government buildings and travel.
Effective January 30th of this year, you will need an alternative, more secure form of identification to enter federal facilities. Starting in January 2018, current Pennsylvania licenses will no longer be acceptable for boarding commercial flights.
Pennsylvania licenses and state IDs do not meet the requirements of the federal REAL ID Act, which was enacted in response to the 9/11 terror attacks and sets standards for secure identification cards.
You will need another secure form of identification to enter federal facilities, military bases, and nuclear power plants starting on January 30. That requirement doesn’t apply when going to a federal facility to apply for or receive federal benefits.
If Pennsylvania does not comply, next year state residents will need an alternative Transportation Security Administration-approved identification to board planes. For most people, that will likely mean a passport, though other types of identification like military ID, a permanent resident card or DHS trusted-traveler card would also be acceptable.
If you are planning to get a passport, you will need a valid birth certificate. That means one that has the state seal imprint on it. The kind you can feel through the paper.
If you are planning a flight of any kind next year, don’t wait until the last minute to get your ID in order. Getting birth certificates and passports takes time. You don’t want your flight to Disney World to turn into a long road trip. Plan ahead now.
