Nevada Real ID
Do you have a Real ID? Check your Nevada driver's license or ID card. If it has a gold star in the upper right corner, you do!
If not, see the information below or visit GetRealNevada.com for an interactive quiz to see if you need one.
Countdown to Real ID
A Real ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, if you wish to use your driver’s license or state ID card to board commercial aircraft on domestic flights. Secure federal facilities, such as military bases, already require licenses/IDs to be Real ID compliant.
Real ID is optional. A passport, military ID or other documents can be used for federal purposes.
How do I get a Real ID?
Make sure you have the correct documents!
You must visit a DMV office in person and will need to present proof of identity, name change(s), your Social Security number and two residency documents at a DMV office one time only.
Review the lists below carefully. These are generally the same documents you used to obtain your Nevada license or ID the first time. You must show them again, plus two documents that show your Nevada residential address.
Proof of Identity
Proof of Name Change(s)
Proof of Social Security Number
Proof of Nevada Residential Address
A Real ID license or ID card must have your physical address printed on the card. You may list a separate mailing address for mailed documents including the card.
Where to get documents
Apply in person
You must apply in person at a DMV office and make an appointment.
Save time and complete the application in advance:
- Application for Driving Privileges or ID Card (DMV 002 - Non-Commercial)
Applications are also available in Spanish and Tagalog - Application for Commercial Driving Privileges (CDL 002)
Spanish | Tagalog
Fees
The fee for a Real ID only (Change of Information) is $8.25 for a driver license, $7.25 for an ID card or $12.25 for a commercial license. Other driver license/ID changes of information, such as an address change or name change, may be included with no additional fee.
There is no additional charge for a Real ID if you are completing another license/ID transaction such as a renewal or adding an endorsement.
The Change of Information fee will apply if you are completing a vehicle registration or other transaction and the Real ID is the only change to your license or ID card.
License Samples
| Real ID License | Standard License | A Real ID driver's license or ID card has a gold Nevada outline or circle with a star cutout in the upper right-hand corner. Standard licenses or ID cards have a heading stating “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES" or "NOT FOR FEDERAL OFFICIAL USE." These cards meet Nevada proof of identity standards. The images on top are new designs issued beginning in July and August 2021. The images below are the previous design, which will be in circulation through 2029. See also Driver License Designs. |
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Licenses and ID cards are marked “LIMITED TERM" when immigration documents are used to prove identity. These expire at the same time as the holder's U.S. Visa. Nevada began issuing Real IDs on November 12, 2014. Cards issued prior to that date remain valid until expiration. However, they do not contain the gold Real ID marker or any statements on federal use or limited term. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Real ID License or ID Card
Is a "Real ID" a different form of identification than a driver's license or ID card?
No. You receive only one state-issued driver's license or ID card. This may be compliant with the Real ID Act or it may be a standard license or ID. Nevada also issues Driver Authorization Cards to those who cannot meet the Real ID or standard requirements.
A person may not hold multiple driver's licenses or state-issued ID cards.
Do I have to get a Real ID license or ID card right away?
The deadline is May 7, 2025. You should upgrade as soon as possible if you will need to use your license or ID to fly or enter a secure federal facility. Visit GetRealNevada.com for an interactive checklist. See TSA Acceptable IDs below for a list of alternative documents.
Existing Nevada driver’s licenses and ID cards will be accepted for boarding aircraft until expiration or May 7, 2025, whichever is sooner.
Please see the following two web pages for more information at the federal level:
I showed my proof of identity documents when I first obtained a Nevada license. Why do I have to show them again?
The Real ID Act establishes minimum standards for proof of identity and requires residents to meet these standards one time to obtain a compliant license or ID. In Nevada, proof of identity presented prior to November 12, 2014 meets older standards but is not valid to obtain a Real ID license or ID card.
Why can't I use my military ID as proof of identity?
The Department of Homeland Security did not include military ID on the list of acceptable documents for obtaining a Real ID. See Residency & Proof of Identity.
U.S. military ID will continue to be accepted for boarding aircraft and other federal purposes. However, one advantage to Real ID is that other state DMVs will accept a Real ID as proof of identity for obtaining a driver's license or ID.
Do I have to provide my documents every time I renew my license or ID?
For most residents, no. No documents are required at renewal. Your license will remain Real ID compliant.
Permanent residents and limited term residents are required to show their immigration documents at each renewal.
In addition, any material changes such as name, date of birth or Social Security number will require documentation.
If I don’t have a Social Security number, can I get a driver’s license or identification card?
Yes, but not a Real ID. You are eligible for a standard driver's license or ID card provided you meet the other proof of identity requirements. You may also be eligible for a Driver Authorization Card. See Residency & Proof of Identity.
Will the DMV accept an out-of-state Real ID?
An out-of-state driver's license or ID card that is Real ID compliant is acceptable proof of identity to obtain a Nevada standard driver's license or ID. If a limited term Real ID is presented, you must also provide a valid immigration document(s). See Residency & Proof of Identity.
Non-compliant licenses are not accepted.
Is Real ID information available in other languages?
Yes. GetRealNevada.com is available in Spanish. The federal TSA has also translated its Real ID information into several languages.
Real ID Uses and Enforcement
What does it mean if my driver’s license or ID card states “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES”?
This or a similar statement means the issuing state offers its residents the option to obtain a driver's license or identification card which is not compliant with the Real ID Act and that the license holder has chosen that option.
These licenses and ID cards meet Nevada proof of identity standards. They should be accepted as identification for all uses.
A variety of reasons may underlie the choice to obtain a standard license. These include personal preference, religious conviction, or the inability or decision not to provide original documents needed to verify identity, citizenship, or lawful status in the United States.
No inferences or assumptions should be drawn about the particular reason an individual possesses a card with this statement. It does not indicate a person's citizenship or immigration status.
REAL ID only covers state issued identification documents used for accessing federal facilities, commercial aircraft, and nuclear power plants and not for the determination for any specific benefit. Non-federal entities such as banking institutions are outside the scope of REAL ID and have the ability to use state issued identification documents as they deem appropriate.
Can I use my current Nevada driver's license or state ID card to board an aircraft?
Yes, until May 7, 2025.
Beginning on that date, the federal government will require people boarding commercial aircraft using a state driver’s license or ID card to possess a card that meets Real ID standards. A Real ID license or ID is already required to access secure federal facilities where ID is required.
Nevada Driver Authorization Cards are not valid for identification.
Will I need a Real ID license to apply for federal benefits or to register to vote?
No. A Real ID license or ID is NOT required to:
- Vote or register to vote
- Apply for or receive federal benefits
- Be licensed by a state to drive
- Access health or life preserving services (including hospitals and health clinics), law enforcement, or constitutionally-protected activities (including a defendant’s access to court proceedings)
- Participate in law enforcement proceedings or investigations
- Enter federal facilities that do not require a person to present identification
REAL ID covers only state issued identification documents used for accessing secure federal facilities, commercial aircraft, and nuclear power plants and not for the determination for any specific benefit. Non-federal entities such as banking institutions are outside the scope of REAL ID and have the ability to use state issued identification documents as they deem appropriate.
Does a Real ID license have an RFID chip or other form of biometrics built into the card?
No.
Will my personal information be stored in a national database?
No.
Will TSA accept identity documents other than driver’s licenses?
Yes. TSA accepts other forms of identity documents, such as a passport or Permanent Resident Card, and will continue to do so. See TSA Acceptable IDs.
Real ID Act of 2005
What is the Real ID Act?
Real ID is a coordinated effort by the states and the federal government to improve the reliability and accuracy of state-issued identification documents, which should inhibit terrorists’ ability to evade detection by using fraudulent identification. Real ID implements a 9/11 Commission recommendation urging the federal government to “set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver's licenses.”
Passed by Congress in May of 2005, the Real ID Act was part of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and the Tsunami Relief Act. It is not Nevada law but federal law that sets identification standards for state driver's licenses if those licenses are to be used as identification for boarding an aircraft, entering a federal building where identification is required or entering a nuclear power plant.
The Real ID Act is intended to combat terrorism, identity theft, and other crimes by strengthening the integrity and security of state-issued identification. The Act calls on states to implement a set of minimum national standards in several areas:
- Information and security features that must be incorporated into each card
- Proof of identity, date of birth, Social Security number, lawful status, and primary residence address
- Verification of the source documents provided by an applicant
- Increased security and privacy of personal information collected when applying for a driver’s license or identification card
See the following links for more information.
What does the Real ID Act do?
The Real ID Act establishes minimum standards for the production and issuance of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards.
It prohibits federal agencies from accepting state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards for certain official uses unless the Department of Homeland Security determines that the state meets Real ID standards. Official uses are defined as accessing secure federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants and boarding federally-regulated commercial aircraft.