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Idaho driver licenses and identification cards will be accepted for official federal purposes for now

Idaho driver’s licenses and identification cards will be accepted for official federal purposes following approval of a REAL ID compliance enforcement extension request, granted March 27, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The approval allows for these cards to be accepted as proof of identity for entrance into locations such as nuclear facilities, military bases and federal buildings, and for boarding federally regulated air travel. The compliance enforcement extension will expire Oct. 10, 2015, and must be renewed each October.

The extension request was made possible by House Bill 96, approved by the 2015 Idaho Legislature and signed into law on March 11. The legislation allows ITD to file extension requests to DHS along with status reports, and requires ITD to give annual updates to the Idaho House and Senate transportation committees.

Recently, DHS removed limitations on extension requests, allowing states to submit new extension requests each federal fiscal year that expire on Oct. 10.