Starting from 22 January 2018, Pennsylvania residents have to provide a identification rather than a Driver’s license will not be valid for air travel.

A Pennsylvania’s drivers license will not be a valid identification for domestic air travel, due to state not being compliant with REAL ID Act.

Other states which are not in compliance with REAL ID Act are Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Montana, South Carolina and Washington.

Until 10 October2017, New Jersey has an extension which allows the federal agencies to accept driver’s license.

Transportation Security Administration began to post signs from last week at airports to notify travelers of the change from January 22.

Here's how the Department of Homeland Security describes the REAL ID Act:

Passed by Congress in 2005, the REAL ID Act enacted the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the Federal Government "set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses." The Act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards and prohibits Federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards.

The Pennsylvania state does not meet the REAL ID requirements due to its legislation.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has stated that their commonwealth does not currently meet these federal standards due to the passage, Act 38 2012 by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, which bards the Governor and PennDot from participating in REAL ID

"Our commonwealth does not currently meet these federal standards due to the passage, by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, of Act 38 of 2012, which bars the Governor and PennDOT from participating in REAL ID," PennDOT states on their website.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the REAL ID Nonparticipation Act.

Section 2. Participation in the REAL ID Act of 2005.
(a) Prohibition.--Neither the Governor nor the Department of Transportation or any other Commonwealth agency shall participate in the REAL ID Act of 2005 or regulations promulgated thereunder.

(b) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "REAL ID Act of 2005" means Division B of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror and Tsunami Relief, 2005 (Public Law 109-13, 119 Stat. 302).

Section 3. Legal challenge.
Either the Governor or the Attorney General may file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to challenge the constitutionality or legality of the REAL ID Act of 2005.

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PennDot says that they are out of compliance because of “limited technical reasons”.

"PennDOT has always focused on providing a secure driver's license and supporting process and we already have made additional improvements," PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards said in a statement in October. "In large measure, we are out of compliance for limited technical reasons and because existing state law bars us from fully complying. While we understand frustration with the cost of this unfunded federal mandate, our failure to comply because of the prohibition of current law will be a burden for Pennsylvanians."

So what can you use instead of a Pennsylvania driver's license?

U.S. passport

U.S. passport card

DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)

U.S. military ID

Permanent resident card

Border crossing card

DHS-designated enhanced driver's license

Airline or airport-issued ID if it is issued under a TSA-approved security plan)

Federally recognized, tribal-issued photo ID

HSPD-12 PIV card

Foreign government-issued passport

Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card

Transportation worker identification credential

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766)

U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential

Until January 22, 2018, to be specific, residents of all states including Pennsylvania  will still be able to use a state-issued driver's license or identification card for domestic air travel.

(Image Source: PA.Com)

By AMandeep