New TSA technology will reject certain state IDs after Oct. 1 – WCVB Boston

Massachusetts residents have about seven months remaining to upgrade their driver's licenses if they want to continue using the state-issued IDs for air travel. Wednesday, officers of the Transportation Security Administration invited reporters to see the equipment that is being used to verify passenger identification at Boston Logan International Airport. Twenty-five of the new Credential Authentication Technology scanners are already being used in Boston, officials said. In addition to confirming the validity of the identification card or passport, officials said the system confirms that person is verified on a flight departing the airport that day. Travelers from Massachusetts will be permitted to use their old-style IDs until Oct. 1, 2020. After that, the CAT systems will only accept REAL ID-compliant ID cards or a passport.If your state-issued license or ID has a gold star in the upper right corner, your license was already upgraded to the new federal standard. Massachusetts began to issue the upgraded cards in 2018.If you still have an old-style license or ID without that gold star, the upgrade process begins at the Registry of Motor Vehicles or on the registry's website. Applicants will be required to prove U.S. citizenship or that they have a lawful presence in the United States.The REAL ID law was passed by Congress to improve national security in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the RMV has been working to upgrade its driver's license software system and design new identification cards to comply with the law. The state has received a number of extensions, but all states must be compliant by October.Features of REAL IDs include:Full legal nameResidential addressBirth dateGenderDrivers license/identification card numberDigital front-facing photographSignatureStandardized bar code and security devices

Massachusetts residents have about seven months remaining to upgrade their driver's licenses if they want to continue using the state-issued IDs for air travel.

Wednesday, officers of the Transportation Security Administration invited reporters to see the equipment that is being used to verify passenger identification at Boston Logan International Airport. Twenty-five of the new Credential Authentication Technology scanners are already being used in Boston, officials said.

In addition to confirming the validity of the identification card or passport, officials said the system confirms that person is verified on a flight departing the airport that day.

TSA photo

Travelers from Massachusetts will be permitted to use their old-style IDs until Oct. 1, 2020. After that, the CAT systems will only accept REAL ID-compliant ID cards or a passport.

If your state-issued license or ID has a gold star in the upper right corner, your license was already upgraded to the new federal standard. Massachusetts began to issue the upgraded cards in 2018.

RMV

If you still have an old-style license or ID without that gold star, the upgrade process begins at the Registry of Motor Vehicles or on the registry's website. Applicants will be required to prove U.S. citizenship or that they have a lawful presence in the United States.

The REAL ID law was passed by Congress to improve national security in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the RMV has been working to upgrade its driver's license software system and design new identification cards to comply with the law. The state has received a number of extensions, but all states must be compliant by October.

Features of REAL IDs include:

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New TSA technology will reject certain state IDs after Oct. 1 - WCVB Boston