Deadline for Pennsylvanians to get REAL ID is 1 year away. Here’s what you need to know

This story originally appeared on 6abc.

The deadline for Pennsylvanians to receive a REAL ID is one year from Tuesday, May 7.

Officials have pushed back the deadline multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

People will need a REAL ID to board a domestic commercial flight or enter a federal building that requires identification.

Despite this, officials say REAL ID remains optional. You can use a valid passport as an alternative to this.

What’s REAL ID?

According to PennDOT, REAL ID is a federal law that impacts how states issue driver’s licenses and ID cards if they are to be acceptable for federal purposes.

That includes boarding domestic commercial flights, entering a military base, or any federal facility that requires an ID.

PennDOT says you do not need a REAL ID to drive, vote, access hospitals, enter a post office, access federal courts, or apply for or receive federal benefits, such as social security or veterans’ benefits.

To apply for a REAL ID, visit dmv.pa.org.