Gov. Doug Burgum was joined today by officials from the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) and the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to proclaim October as North Dakota REAL ID Month.
This designation is a reminder for North Dakota residents that starting Oct. 1, 2020, travelers will need a REAL ID-compliant form of identification to board a commercial flight or gain access to secure federal facilities, including military bases, nuclear facilities and some federal offices. Now is the time for residents to plan ahead to ensure compliance with REAL ID requirements. REAL ID is intended to improve the reliability and accuracy of driver’s licenses and identification cards while inhibiting the ability of terrorists and others to evade detection by using fraudulent identification.
“For the convenience, safety and security of all air travelers, we strongly encourage North Dakotans to act now to obtain a REAL ID. Don’t wait until the last minute. We want everyone to be able to travel when they want to travel and to arrive at their destination safely,” Burgum said. The governor’s proclamation of October as North Dakota REAL ID Month can be viewed here.
To get a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, residents will need to make an in-person visit to a North Dakota driver’s license office. A scheduled appointment allows the fastest service. Appointments are available at the Fargo, Bismarck, Minot, Dickinson, Williston, and Grand Forks offices and can be made online at https://go.nemoqappointment.com/Booking/Booking/Index/5KIDD4bc.
“We’ve made getting a REAL ID easy and fast,” NDDOT Director Bill Panos said. “Simply make an appointment online, bring in the correct documentation, and you will be in and out of the driver’s license office quickly. Don’t be left at the gate come October 2020. Make your appointment now to get your REAL ID.”
Please ensure all proper documentation is with you when you come in for your scheduled appointment. The NDDOT maintains a REAL ID checklist on its website: www.dot.nd.gov/real-id. In order to apply for a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, residents will need to provide:
- Proof of legal residence in the United States
- Proof of Social Security Number
- Proof of North Dakota residence
If the individual’s current name is different than the name on the identity documents due to marriage, divorce or other circumstance, additional proof of the legal name is required. More information is available on the NDDOT checklist.
To help make sure citizens can get their REAL ID by the federal deadline, the NDDOT in Fargo is offering a “REAL ID Day” on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For that day only, citizens can schedule appointments to get their REAL ID at the Fargo Driver’s License office. This is being offered as an alternative to people who may otherwise not be able to get into the Driver’s License Office during its regularly scheduled hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. Only appointments for REAL ID will be accepted on Saturday, Oct. 19. Walk-ins will not be accepted, and no other driver’s license business will be conducted.
About REAL ID
Congress passed The REAL ID Act in 2005. It enacted a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission that established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. The Act further prohibited federal agencies, including the TSA, from accepting state-issued driver’s licenses or identification cards that do not meet the minimum standards.
North Dakota offers an Opt-in, Opt-out feature that allows residents a choice in obtaining a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license. However, if you opt-out, you will not be able to fly domestically with your North Dakota driver’s license as of Oct. 1, 2020.
The fee for a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license is the same as the fee for a non-compliant license. If you are renewing and keeping a non-compliant credential, it is $15; if you are renewing and upgrading to a REAL ID-compliant credential, it is $15. If you are getting a REAL ID-compliant license before your existing renewal date, the fee is $8.