MAINE, USA — Maine’s secretary of state and a representative from the federal Transportation Security Administration are appearing at airports in the state to talk about travel identification requirements as the state switches to Real ID.
Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap and the TSA representative are scheduled to hold news conferences at Bangor International Airport on Monday and Portland International Jetport on Tuesday. The state’s conversion to Real ID compliance means residents won’t be able to board a flight with a regular Maine license by October 2020, Dunlap said.
Maine residents are able to obtain Real ID-compliance licenses at state Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices. Real ID-compliant licenses are valid for air travel as well as other federal identification purposes.
Also worth noting is bringing the correct documentation if you've had a name change. If your name has been legally changed, you will need proof to obtain a Real ID. Acceptable documents supporting a legal name change include a marriage license, divorce decree, or court order. In all cases, the documents must show a clear trail of name changes from the name on the identity document to the current name.
Congress passed the Real ID act years ago to establish federal standards for state-issued licenses and identification card.