HARRISBURG — In keeping with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s commitment to serve Pennsylvanians more effectively and efficiently, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced that the requirement for proof of Social Security Number for REAL ID products will expand to include additional documents.
Per federal regulations, customers wishing to obtain a REAL ID product must present proof of Social Security Number. PennDOT is now expanding acceptable options beyond a Social Security Card.
PennDOT now accepts the following documents as proofs of Social Security Number: A Social Security Card; W-2 form; SSA-1099 form; non-SSA-1099 form; or a pay stub with the applicant’s name and full Social Security Number on it.
“Governor Shapiro has made it clear that the Commonwealth should help people succeed, not get in the way. Under his direction, PennDOT is working to make our services more streamlined and effective for the people of Pennsylvania,” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said. “Obtaining a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or ID card is optional in Pennsylvania, but we want the process to be as convenient as possible while still following federal regulations. We have confirmed that accepting these additional documents does not compromise the security or integrity of the REAL ID program.”
REAL ID is a federal law that affects how states issue driver’s licenses and ID cards if they are going to be acceptable for federal purposes, such as boarding a domestic flight or entering a federal building that requires federally acceptable ID upon entry. A federally acceptable form of identification (whether it’s a Pennsylvania REAL ID driver’s license or ID card, a valid U.S. Passport/Passport Card, a military ID, etc.) must be used for these purposes on and after May 7, 2025.
There is no requirement that any resident obtain a REAL ID; PennDOT continues to offer standard-issue driver’s licenses and photo IDs.
To date, PennDOT has issued approximately 2 million REAL ID products.
Customers can obtain a REAL ID by presenting documents for verification and processing at any driver license center. Federal regulations require that to be issued a REAL ID-compliant product, PennDOT must verify the below documents:
Customers have three options for obtaining a REAL ID product: Customers may order their REAL ID online if they have been pre-verified and their REAL ID product will be mailed to them within 15 business days; they can visit any PennDOT Driver License Center that is open for driver license services, have their documents verified and imaged, and their REAL ID product will be mailed to them within 15 business days; or they can visit one of 13 REAL ID Centers and receive their REAL ID product over the counter at the time of service.
When a customer gets their first REAL ID product, they pay a one-time fee of $30, plus the applicable renewal fee (current renewal fee is $36.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver’s license, and $38.50 for a photo ID). The expiration date of their initial REAL ID product will include any time remaining on their existing non-REAL ID product, plus an additional four years, unless the customer is over 65 and has a two-year license. This expiration date structure means that customers won’t “lose” time that they’ve already paid for. After the initial REAL ID product expires, customers pay no additional fee, beyond regular renewal fees, to renew a REAL ID product.
