Beginning May 3, 2023, the federal government will require you to present a REAL ID compliant credential, or another federally approved form of ID, in order to board a domestic flight or enter a secure federal facility.
You can get either a REAL ID license or ID or a standard driver's license or ID. If you choose to stick with a standard license or ID, it will display "Federal Limits Apply" the next time you renew.
If you do not get a REAL ID, you must have an alternate form of federally accepted identification (valid U. S. passport, U.S. Department of Defense ID, Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), etc.) to board a domestic flight or enter a secure federal facility beginning May 3, 2023. See the Transportation Security Administration’s list of federally accepted identification.
You will be allowed to
Standard License
REAL ID License
Vote or register to vote
Verify your identity at banks, utility companies and retail stores
Apply for or receive federal benefits
Access health or life preserving services
Enter federal facilities requiring ID*
Access military bases*
Board domestic flights beginning May 3, 2023
* Secure federal facilities and military bases set their own identification requirements. Please verify requirements prior to your visit. Effective immediately, some military bases may no longer accept non-REAL ID compliant credentials, which display "Federal Limits Apply."
Apply in person: Visit DMV by appointment Monday through Friday, or stop by at your convenience any day we're open.
Start your application online: Existing customers can start their application online.
You will need to visit DMV in-person to provide physical documentation of your identity, legal presence, full Social Security number, Virginia residency (two proofs required) and, if applicable, name change. This applies to all applicants, even if you are a current Virginia credential holder.
See our Document Guide to determine which documents to bring when you apply.
All documents must be originals and will be subject to verification; however, printouts of acceptable online residency documents can be used as proof of residency. Temporary documents and photocopies of documents will not be accepted.
In order to get a REAL ID, you must bring your documents to DMV for review. Any website claiming to pre-scan and upload REAL ID documents from home is not affiliated with DMV. As such, customers should not submit any images of personal documents to such websites as they will not be transmitted to DMV and could be used for fraudulent purposes. Customers may fill out a REAL ID application in advance; however, this process will not ask you to scan and upload documents.
REAL ID credentials incur a one-time $10 fee, in addition to the standard driver's license or identification card fees. For example, a standard driver's license renewal costs $32, while a standard driver's license replacement costs $20.
In the upper right corner, REAL ID compliant credentials display a star; non-REAL ID compliant credentials instead display "Federal Limits Apply," to comply with federal law.
