Alabamians will have another two years to obtain their mandated STAR ID driver’s licenses.
Today the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extended its deadline for full enforcement of the federal law to May 7, 2025 – the third such deadline extension by DHS.
This extension, as with earlier ones, is related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which officials say has bottle-necked progress on getting Americans to switch over.
STAR ID, which stands for Secure, Trusted and Reliable Identification, is Alabama’s version of REAL ID, an identification program initiated by the federal government in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The card will be needed for domestic air travelers without a passport or other federally approved forms of identification.
“This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card, “DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. “DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible. We will continue to ensure that the American public can travel safely.”
In Alabama, people can apply for STAR IDs at ALEA Driver License examining offices.
Applicants must present four documents to verify identity/date of birth, Social Security number and address of principal residence. Among the accepted documents are a valid, unexpired U.S. passport, certified birth certificate or certificate of naturalization. Other documents will be needed to verify your Social Security number and address.