By: Jaly Marquez
Before you decide to renew your license, consider bringing along a bit more paperwork to get a Real ID instead. The Real ID is a driver’s license that has a revised look and new security features. The overall look is the same, except that the Real ID license contains features to make it harder to counterfeit. Therefore, meaning a “fake” ID a lot harder to duplicate or mimic.
To obtain one, make sure to bring a few necessary documents so as not to waste your time. Visit your local Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Registry of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You need these documents in order to verify your identity. If you are a U.S citizen you need to bring a valid passport and a copy of your birth certificate. If you don’t have a passport then you would need to bring a utility bill or a document that can confirm your home address. If you are not a U.S citizen, there are different documents needed that can be found directly on the MA DMV website.
Don’t worry though, this license will not break the bank and it actually is pretty handy for people who travel often. This new license will cost $35 and it serves as a passport when you want to travel. If you don’t travel or plan on it anytime soon, then it won’t be necessary to upgrade your license at all. All the non-compliant licenses will be valid for driving and everything else, but it will not have the benefit of ease now as the new ID holds the same power and utility as a passport.
Another perk of this new ID is that it now directly identifies veterans by adding it to their license. Veterans no longer would have to carry extra identification proving their veteran status because it will be directly added onto their new license. The Real ID is already available and it will not be necessary to travel with until October 2020. So, mark your calendars and make your trip to a local DMV if you’re starting to feel any kind of wanderlust.