Michigan REAL ID deadline extended due to coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

DETROIT – The REAL ID deadline for Michigan and all other states requiring the new form of identification has been extended due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The Department of Homeland Security announced that the deadline will now be Oct. 1, 2021, a year later than the original deadline.

As of last month, only about 35 percent of IDs in the United States complied with the REAL ID Act.

MORE: What you should know about the REAL ID application

The federal REAL ID Act of 2005 was passed in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and requires higher standards for identification. When the law goes into full effect, a standard Michigan driver’s license or state ID card no longer will be adequate to board an aircraft for a domestic flight or to enter military bases, nuclear power plants or certain other federal facilities.