GLEN BURNIE, MD – With the start of a new year, the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) is notifying Marylanders with driver’s licenses and identification (ID) cards that expire beginning in January 2018 that they may now have to provide new documentation to renew their federally compliant driver’s license. This new change went into effect with January driver’s license renewals and is a requirement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to maintain compliance with the federal REAL ID Act.
“It’s important that customers open and thoroughly read the renewal notice being mailed to them,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Christine Nizer. “It will inform them if new documents are required and what documents need to be brought into an MDOT MVA branch office. We want our customers to be prepared so that we can serve them quickly and efficiently.”
Customers who receive the documents-required notification can access a full list of acceptable documents on the MDOT MVA website at http://license.mva.maryland.gov.
The goal is to make this renewal process as easy as possible. This website allows residents to print a documents-required checklist and make an appointment at a specific MDOT MVA branch. Preparing ahead of time will speed up the renewal time at the MDOT MVA.
The REAL ID Act is a federal law that establishes certain minimum-security standards for license issuance and production. The cards that meet these standards are acceptable for federal purposes, such as boarding a commercial aircraft or gaining access to federal facilities.
To maintain compliance with the REAL ID Act, MDOT MVA must keep required documentation on file for those who have a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or ID card.
For more information about the REAL ID documentation requirement, visit http://www.mva.maryland.gov/Pages/realid.aspx. | 
