REAL ID

REAL ID refers to a set of “minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards,” established by the REAL ID Act.¹⁾ It is a cooperative program between the United States Department of Homeland Security and state governments.²⁾

In response to the 9/11 attacks, in July 2004, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States published the 9/11 Commission Report. One of its recommendations was to “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses.”³⁾

On December 17, 2004, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) was passed to implement the recommendations from the commission report. The act directed the Secretary of Transportation to form a committee, made up of representatives from the state governments and the United States Department of Homeland Security, to issue regulations establishing standards for identification documents issued by the states. It also prohibited federal agencies from accepting identification documents that did not conform to these standards.⁴⁾

In February 2005, the United States Congress passed the REAL ID Act, authored by James Sensenbrenner.^{5) 6)}

• Website
• Wikipedia