The Alaska DMV is working to reach compliance with the federal REAL ID Act. According to the Department of Homeland Security’s website, the act sets a minimum standard for identifying documents, such as a driver’s license or a passport. Marla Thompson, Director of the Alaska DMV, said that what this means for Alaskans is that the DMV will be offering licenses and state IDs that meet a higher standard of federal requirements. Thompson added that old IDs will remain valid, and the new IDs are not mandatory to have. It is simply an option available to Alaskans.
“Alaskans are not required to get a REAL ID,” she said, but added. “Everyone will need a federally compliant ID to get on a plane or base on Oct. 1, 2020.”
REAL ID compliant documents will be required for Alaskans wishing to board an airplane or to enter or work at a military base or federal building starting in October of 2020. Thompson said that there is no rush for residents to come to the DMV to get a compliant license, again stating that older licenses will remain valid until then. The process to obtain a REAL ID, she said, is basically the same as getting a driver’s license: A person will visit the DMV with required documents proving they are who they say they are, they will pay a small fee, and will receive their REAL ID in the mail. Thompson added that a REAL ID will cost about $20 more than the old identification cards
What makes the REAL IDs different from other forms of identification are added security features. Steve Purdy, vice president of government programs for Gemalto, said that Alaskan REAL IDs will have such security features as UV images as well as a unique font, among several other features designed to prevent tampering or fraud. There is also a new security feature that Purdy said he was very excited about: MLIs.
An MLI, or multi-laser image, is a security feature for the cards that he said will be very hard to mimic. The MLI will be a “ghost image” of the card holder’s face. When the REAL ID is rotated slightly, however, that image changes to the cardholder’s date of birth. This “ghost image” is very hard to duplicate or tamper with, Purdy said, and makes the new ID cards very secure.
“They [REAL IDs] are much more advanced in regards to the security features,” he said
Gemalto is a digital security company that is helping many states, not just Alaska, reach REAL ID compliance. Purdy said that they have helped, or are currently working in states like Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maryland, Colorado, Washington DC, West Virginia, Idaho, and several others. He added that the new ID cards will not affect people’s ability to operate vehicles, they will just become a requirement to enter airplanes or federal buildings in 2020.
“The REAL ID process,” he said. “is really apt to help people ensure their identity is protected … It’s a program that every jurisdiction has a plan to meet, if they haven’t already.”
REAL IDs will begin to be issued in January of 2019. An interactive checklist has been put online to provide Alaskans with the information and documents needed to obtain a REAL ID. The “REAL ID Checklist” can be found on the Alaska DMV website.
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