ANCHORAGE — Alaska has begun issuing licenses compliant with national proof-of-identity standards.
The Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles has made available across the state licenses that follow guidelines under the federal REAL ID law, the Anchorage Daily News reported this week.
Residents will need to get a new driver’s license by October 2020 in order to use it to enter federal buildings, military bases or board commercial airliners, according to the DMV and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. A passport or global entry card can still be used instead of a state driver’s license.
[Opinion: Real ID concerns wildly exaggerated]
A new Real ID license will cost $40 instead of $20. To get a new ID, residents will need to bring multiple documents with them to a DMV office to confirm their identity. The state’s DMV website lists the documentation needed.
Licenses that do not comply with the REAL ID program will still be available at DMV offices. All commercial drivers’ licenses will be compliant, with the cost increasing from $100 to $120.
The state has not yet said how the REAL ID program will be administered in areas without a DMV office.
“We don’t have a solution in place yet, but it is high on our priority list,” said Jenna Wamsganz, deputy director of the DMV. “We’re actively looking at ways we can access these communities and help these folks.”
The REAL IDs have a new design, featuring a holographic silhouette of Denali with fireweed decorating the left side and a moose on the right side. A transparent star in a black roundel signifies that the license meets the federal standards.
• This is an Associated Press report.
