Georgia on Track with Federal Real ID Requirements

The state of Georgia said it is meeting federal requirements for new citizen identification cards.

States have until Jan. 15 to fulfill requirements for issuing a national ID. Requirements for individuals to actually carry the IDs don’t start phasing in until December 2014.

Susan Sport of the Department of Driver Services said the state is in compliance with the law, according to a story published by The Rome New-Tribune.

“And as long as the state is in compliance, our citizens’ licenses are still good on Jan. 15,” she said.

The Real ID Act was passed in 2005. Only people with verified identification will be able to fly, enter federal buildings or otherwise conduct business with the government.

After initially balking, Georgia legislators put the new standards into effect in July.

The December 2014 deadline applies to people younger than 50, while older people have through December 2017 to update their identification.

Sport said verifications required under the law are occurring as drivers renew their licenses or new drivers apply, but it’s unclear if everyone in the younger group will have verified identification by December 2014.

“At this point we don’t know if we’ll have to bring anyone back in, but we’re monitoring it very closely,” she said.

Topics Georgia