State-issued driver’s licenses primarily function proof of driving privileges inside that state. They include personally identifiable data, together with identify, date of delivery, tackle, and {a photograph}, which can be utilized for varied identification functions. Nonetheless, they don’t seem to be designed to satisfy the stringent requirements established for federal identification paperwork.
The REAL ID Act of 2005 established minimal safety requirements for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification playing cards and prohibits federal businesses from accepting licenses and identification playing cards from states not assembly these requirements for sure actions. These actions embody accessing federal amenities, nuclear energy crops, and boarding federally regulated industrial plane. This disparity in requirements exists to reinforce nationwide safety and forestall identification fraud. Non-compliant licenses are sometimes marked with language indicating their unsuitability for federal functions, making a tiered system of identification. This tiered system helps guarantee the next stage of safety and reliability for federal identification functions.