Your new Real ID will feature a gold star in the upper righthand corner, circled in red in this sample.
There is less than a year until the Real ID laws fully come into effect in Montana. After October 1st, 2020, if you want to fly both internationally or domestically, enter a military base, get a passport, or enter any federal building you will need a Real ID compliant license. MVD Express, a company based in New Mexico with a new office next to Costco on King Ave. W., is officially ready to help reduce the workload and wait times at the MVD as everyone prepares to get their new IDs. MVD Express officially partnered with the Montana Department of Justice last year to get prepared for the Real ID deadline. This will be sorely needed as appointments are currently between two and three months out at the MVD. MVD Express currently has no actual wait time and can get you in immediately in addition to boasting an average one or two day processing time. They charge an additional $34.99 more than the MVD charges to upgrade to a Real ID, but with the added convenience plus extended and weekend hours it could be worth it. And for anyone who cannot afford the additional fee, it is expected that they will receive enough business that it could cut down wait times at the MVD. MVD Express may be a huge help as our entire state transitions to these new IDs.
Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 as a reaction to the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that identification requirements should be tightened. This Act established minimum security features for identification and prevents any federal agency from accepting ID that doesn’t meet those qualifications. Since most people carry state-issued IDs, states were given time to implement the proper changes. Montana IDs already cover most of the requirements, holograms and a scannable barcode, that make these IDs harder to counterfeit. The only physical change between current IDs and Real IDs is a small gold star in the top right corner, but when you apply for one all documents provided to prove you are who you say you are will be scanned and stored in a database even if you’re denied an ID.
The first thing you need when applying for a Real ID is a document proving your name, date of birth, and your authorized presence in the U.S. For this you need a certified U.S. birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization, a certificate of citizenship, or a permanent resident card. After this a document with your social security number is required, be it from a non laminated social security card, a W-2, or a pay stub as long as both your name and social security number are present on the document. Then you need two documents proving your residency in the state of Montana with your name and physical address on them. Acceptable documents include a utility bill, phone bill, school transcript, vehicle registration or title, first-class mail with postmark, and a rental agreement or rent receipt. PO Box addresses will not be accepted, so if you do not have a separate mailing address you will be denied. In addition to these, if you have ever changed your name, you will be required to bring in one official document per name change, including a certified marriage license or a court order granting a name change. Affidavits of common law marriage will not be accepted. To change your current ID to a Real ID it will cost roughly $61 at the MVD and $96 at MVD Express.
On the bright side, Real ID is not currently required for voting, registering to vote, applying for or receiving federal benefits, or accessing healthcare services. If you are planning on going out of the country, a valid passport will still be required in addition to a Real ID. With the massive importance all federal agencies will be putting on these IDs, it will more than likely become increasingly important that everyone has a Real ID. At least here in Montana we have the option of going to somewhere like MVD Express to get it done quickly and semi-painlessly. They will be especially useful to those people who will be traveling in the near future and don’t want to wait three months for an appointment.
