A Real ID is the federal standard for identification. It means proving residence, identity, and legal authorization of residency. It will be required for boarding planes or using your ID across state lines.

The real difference is that legal citizens have Real IDs, and individuals who do not have "drivers licenses"

as to why anybody would get one, there is a new law the real ID's will be required to board planes. Originally this law was going to start in 2023, but it has been postponed to 2025. A lot of people were getting theirs early to avoid a rush before the law started, but now we have until 2025.

Mainly to avoid using your passport for domestic flight as far as I can tell. Precheck doesn't make a difference. But with the new deadline it seems pointless.

I got it when I had to renew my license, just involves bringing a couple extra documents you already have.

You'll also need it (or alternative like a passport) to get into Federal buildings like courthouses.

However, the deadline is now 2025 (and counting). I wouldn't renew your license just to get the Real ID, but if you're renewing anyway, it's probably worth it, as it's really not that big a deal.

It will be needed to board planes , enter certain Federal buildings.It's unclear if a local post office is such a federal building.

It's likely a good thing to get.

I don’t go into a Federal courthouse unless I’m in handcuffs.

I wish you could use the Real IDs to enter Canada, but that's not the case.

I didn't get it when I renewed because I have a passport and passport card. I didn't want to put on pants to go to the RMV when I can just renew the normal one online. Maybe next time

you can't use it to cross international borders at all. get a passport card or live in a state with enhanced ids like NY to get into canada

Jury duty.... you kinda have to get into court houses for that or you will have to go to one to deal with not reporting for it.

I was up for an in-person renewal otherwise I probably would've done the same.

I should think that if they summon me that’s my ID. If I show up and am turned away, jury duty excused.

Since you already have a passport, you don't 'need' a real ID. The passport will get you on planes and in federal buildings just fine.

That being said, it's 1 or 2 additional pieces of paper and it's always nice to have an added layer of whatever in case something goes cattywampus. I wouldn't rush in your shoes to get my real ID, but I'd probably roll it in the next time you have to update your license anyway.

If you have Triple A.....I made an appointment and was in and out in 7 minutes. Completely painless.

It actually is a big frickin deal. I have my MA license, A federal ID, and bunch more documents like bank statements, utility bills in my name and I had been trying to get a real ID for last 4 years.

They just keep giving me shit unless I go and get a passport for $500 which I do not need or make use of in the near future.

It is just another government racket to extract more money from people who can afford it the least.

If you have a passport then that is a Real ID and you don't need a State ID real ID. Eventually if you want to go into a federal bldg. you would need a Real ID to enter the bldg.

U.S. Passports do NOT cost $500.

Honestly I regret getting the real ID. Because I’ll have to renew in person.

It was supposed to be 2021 originally. Though clearly the essential National security argument was bogus because the law was passed in 2005.

Honestly it wasn't that hard to get. Just bring the extra crap when you have to renew your license once and then you're done with it.

As others have said though - if you have your passport you don't really need it unless you want to take a plane domestically and not bring your passport in the future.

Except you did report and they didn't let you in. I don't foresee a situation where someone actually gets penalized for skipping jury duty because the lacked an ID that they are not legally required to obtain.

It's possible they try, and it'll be onerous as fuck, but some civil liberties aficionado with the time to burn on litigating it will goad that response and challenge it.

(For the record I think getting it is a good idea and it's not a fight worth fighting).

I'm not sure what's dumber, that you think a US passport costs $500 or that you had that much trouble getting a real ID which is at best a mid level inconvenience for anyone with the basic documents that virtually everyone is given upon being either born in this country or or becoming as legal resident.

The only way you wouldn't have what you need for a Real ID is if you were born in some hermit commune or if you aren't legally in the country.

You need as of 2025 RI plus the enhanced DL to enter Canada.One of my best friends lives in Burlington VT and goes to Montreal all the time.

You the enhanced DL also

Please explain the relevance of having Triple A. My official Masshole RealID DL is on the way from the RMV, but I’m still new here.

A “Real ID” is absolutely worthless if you’ve already got a passport.

When has a post office asked to see your ID except when you were signing up for a PO Box?

If you're a Triple A member, you can get multiple RMV services done at the AAA office. It's substantially easier to get an appointment, and the time spent in office is miniscule, whereas with the RMV it can take weeks to find an open spot and then you end up waiting an hour and a half anyway LOL

Does anybody know if after you are issued a real ID and go to renew it- if they require you to show documents again? Or can you just fill out a renewal application and that’s it

I said it's unclear if a Post Office was such a Federal building.Some Federal buildings will require Real ID ,don't know if a post office is one.

According to the feds you ARE legally obligated to get a Real ID tho, and have been for like 6 years. MA DMV needs to get their shit together and make it mandatory. This started in 2005 they've had almost 20 years. MA was originally supposed to be compliant by 2018.

Except that not how it works.

"The Real ID Act prohibits federal agencies from accepting driver licenses and identification cards issued by U.S. states and territories that do not satisfy certain standards, for the purposes of accessing federal government facilities and nuclear power plants and for boarding airline flights"

2018, then 2021, Then 2023, now deadline is to May 7, 2025.

Does AAA do Real IDs, i thought they didn't.

they do! Got mine there last year, and my son did a few weeks ago.

And are not a requirement to get a real ID you have several other options.

https://www.mass.gov/guides/massachusetts-identification-id-requirements

Standard Passport fee is $165 and extra $30 if you want the card too. $60 extra for expedited services so the most you can pay is that.

Yep!

https://northeast.aaa.com/automotive/registry-services/massachusetts.html

I wonder if that would be a valid reason to not have to go to jury duty. There is no law that says you must have a Read ID nor a passport, so people can legitimately and legally say they can not serve on a jury because they can not get into the court house.

>According to the feds you ARE legally obligated to get a Real ID tho, and have been for like 6 years.

Source? Because pretty sure this is false. If you are not traveling by air and are not crossing a border, there is no legal reason you must have any type of ID (assuming you are not driving either) let alone a "Real ID".

>there is a new law the real ID's will be required to board planes

To clarify, the law says you need a Real ID or other form of TSA-acceptable identification such as a passport, passport card, US DoD ID card, veterans health ID card (VHIC), and a slew of other compliant IDs.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification

They've pushed the date back like 6 times, but yes eventually this will be mandatory.

For air travel yes a TSA compliant ID is required, but you were responding to someone about Jury duty and they correctly stating "lacked an ID that they are not legally required to obtain" which you then claimed it is a law that everyone has to have a Real ID. This particular stub of this thread had nothing to do with air travel. So either you were confused about what was being discussed or you are confused thinking a Real ID is the law regardless of if you travel by air.

And as far as air travel is concerned, there are other forms of ID you can use besides a Real ID driver's license, so there is not a requirement you have a R.I. License specifically, just that you can produce one of the TSA compliant IDs of which a R.I. License is only one of.

I don't know for sure but I would guess it is the same as a normal ID or driver's license where if nothing has changes (your name, etc.) then they have already verified your "legal presence" and they just want you to update your photo to show how old we are all getting every ten years.

Except a Real ID is easier to carry than a passport, especially if you frequently need to enter Federal Government buildings that require ID to get in.

It's current law to enter any federal building or airport (or other federally approved ID, witch I believe only counts Passports and Military issues IDs) but they pushed back the requirement date for MA (for like the 6th time) for all state issued IDs to be Real ID, it's now 2025, you won't be able to get anything else after then.

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id seems to say it's mandatory as of May 2025 now, and does say any state issued ID's need to be federally compliant.

TSA Complaint ID FAQ give me a Error 404, very helpful.

You can do it online so long as it hasn't been so long that you need to update your photo...

"If you already have your REAL ID and are up for renewal (check for the yellow star in the upper right hand corner of your license or ID), you are already eligible to do so online at Mass.Gov/RMV."

Source

or you can still use your passport or passport card.

The ID requirement is for Fed building that already ask for ID to enter. Post offices have never asked for ID as a requirement for entry so it should be obvious that this will not be a requirement entry there.

But there is no law that required US citizens to have a passport or a driver's license or any other government issued ID card/document, so how can they make you serve on a jury if you do not meet the requirements to get into the building which you are legally entitled?

Yes you keep repeating the same argument that has nothing to do with this particular stub of the discussion. That being, if you don't have a Federal Government compliant ID as you are legally entitled to not have, can you be made to serve jury duty since you can not enter the building?

On the MA Jury website it says the only thing you need to bring is your jury duty summons doesn't mention ID at all.

I assume actual Federal Courthouses may have a requirement for anyone but a juror, I went jury duty at the Federal Court in Woburn and I don't remember if they even asked for ID, I still have the summons it also makes zero mention of an ID requirement.

Sorry the whole 'ID is not universally required' was escaping my pea-brain, but it's hard to function these days without one, and pushing back on getting a Real ID at this point is just dumb. It's literally bring two extra things when you renew.

I agree, not getting the Real ID if you are already going in to get your license seems silly assuming you are eligible for a Real ID, but there is nothing that says you must have one in general.

I don't have a Real ID simply for the the fact that the last time or two I renewed it I was able to do it online and I have a passport. So until I am due to retake my license photo and have to go in I will stick with the standard MA driver's license.

I don't know about that. I just know that U.S. Passports do NOT cost $500. I got a REAL ID Passport in 2019 and it didn't cost me anywhere near $500. This year I also got a REAL ID Drivers License and it cost me the same as if I got a standard drivers license.

Like I said you would need a Real ID to enter a federal bldg. I didn't say it must be a state id or driver's license just simply a Real ID.

Ok ,I never knew that was the federal requirement.I understand now,thank you.A post office is the only federal building I have been in and didn't know others requied ID.