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Minnesota gets an extension for REAL ID

A recent extension from the Department of Homeland Security will give Minnesotans at least another year before they need a new driver's license to get through security at MSP.

The new date for Minnesota to comply with the federal REAL ID law is Oct. 10, 2018.

The idea of implementing the REAL ID standard in Minnesota had been a point of contention at the State Legislature. A bill passed earlier this year put Minnesota on track to come into compliance with the 2005 federal law, which requires secure identification to enter airports, military facilities and federal buildings.

Without the new secure driver's license, travelers flying out of MSP and other Minnesota airports might have been required to have a passport or other form of compliant ID, even for domestic flights. 

The announcement from the Department of Homeland Security is here.