Butler PennDOT center open on Mondays for Real ID day
The Butler PennDOT Driver License Center, normally closed on Mondays, will be open for three more Mondays leading up to May 7, in an effort to help residents get their “Real ID.”
The extra days open are part of PennDOT’s efforts to prepare for the enforcement deadline of federal guidelines for personal IDs.
The REAL ID Act is a federal law that was passed in 2005. Its purpose is to enhance security standards for identification.
According to the state government’s website, REAL ID is optional, though it is required to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities — otherwise, you’ll need another federally accepted ID, such as a passport or military ID.
In Pennsylvania, a newly issued Real ID is a largely unchanged driver’s license, with a white star in a gold circle on the top right corner.
Fifty different PennDOT centers, in addition to the Butler Driver License Center, were open on Monday, April 7, when they typically would be closed. They will also be open on April 14, April 28 and May 5.
Aimee Inama, a PennDOT press officer, said the state transportation department is holding these events as a way to give people additional opportunities to get a Real ID.
Inama emphasized Pennsylvanians can still get a Real ID if they miss the deadline. But if they’re going to fly any time around May 7 and don’t have Real ID or any alternative, they should go to the driver license center and get one.
“We’re having real IDs on Mondays, but Pennsylvanians can come in anytime during normal business hours. If people don’t have it by May 7, we will continue issuing and processing real IDs after May 7, if they don’t get it by then, they can come in and get them.
Inama said travelers will need Real ID to fly domestically, but international flights still require a passport.
The license center was packed with people who said they learned from the news recently of the upcoming deadline.
Several people expressed confusion over what was considered a Real ID and what was different from the current identification process.
“Sitting there for over two hours was a real pain,” Eleanor Smith said. “I handed her my driver’s license, she said ‘you already have one.’”
Others said the process was not clear and there should be more precise directions.
“I think they should have somebody walking around, verifying that you have the correct paperwork, instead of making you wait there for two hours,” Steve Friel said.
