Four Important Things You Now Need to Get a REAL ID in Minnesota

The clock is ticking fast on the date you'll need a REAL ID here in Minnesota and across the country, so here are four important documents and pieces of information you need in order to get one.

We've been hearing about REAL IDs for a while now in the North Star State. Twenty years, to be exact. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety - Driver and Vehicle Services (MDPS-DVS), the REAL ID Act was first passed by Congress in 2005, as a response to the September 11th terror attacks.

The REAL ID Act set certain standards for states to issue driver's licenses and identification (ID) cards that will be accepted by federal agencies, MDPS-DVS said.  And while the deadline had been extended numerous times-- the original deadline was back in 2008-- this time the new deadline is for real, Axios noted. (Or for REAL.) And while they've been available in the Land of 10,000 Lakes since late 2018, just under 40 percent of Minnesotans currently have a REAL ID.

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security set May 7, 2025, as the date when they will start enforcing the REAL ID Act, MDPS-DVS said. This means that if you don't have a REAL ID as of May 7, 2025, you won't be able to board any domestic airline or go through security checkpoints at a U.S. airport, enter a U.S. military base, or enter federal buildings without an additional ID, like a passport.

You can tell if you already have a REAL ID by the gold circle and star in the upper right corner of your Minnesota driver's license.

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To obtain a Minnesota REAL ID, MDPS-DVS says you'll need the following things:

• One document that proves your full legal name, date of birth and legal presence (a passport works well.)
• Two different documents that show your current Minnesota residence address.
• Know your Social Security Number (SSN).

And here are the steps MDPS-DVS says you should take to start the process toward getting your REAL ID here in Minnesota:

• Start by filling out the pre-application information, (At the end of the pre-application, you can choose to have your documents reviewed before you visit an office.)
• Bring your documents to an office that takes REAL ID applications.
• Bring the appropriate fee.

A special note that while you can start filling out and uploading your pre-application information, you will need to head to an MDPS-DVS office to actually apply for a REAL ID.

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