REAL ID: Come fly with me

Time to track down your documents: Pennsylvania is starting to upgrade its driver's license program to comply with the federal REAL ID Act. Starting on October 1, 2020, you'll need a federally accepted form of identification (such as REAL ID, a U.S. passport, or a military ID) to board commercial flights and enter secure federal buildings. 
Starting Tuesday, Sept. 4, you can bring the following documents to PennDOT driver's license centers for "pre-verification":
1) Proof of identity (original or certified copy of your birth certificate with a raised seal or valid U.S. Passport)
2) Proof of Social Security Number (unlaminated social security card);
3) Proof of all legal name changes
4) Two proofs of your physical address in Pennsylvania (your unexpired PA license or ID card and a bank statement or utility bill no more than 90 days old with the same name and address).
According to PennDOT, "PennDOT staff will image the documents to the customer's record, and when REAL IDs are available in March 2019, the customer can opt into the REAL ID program online, and their REAL ID product will be sent through the mail."
Drivers who got their licenses after September 2003 have been able to apply for pre-verification since March.
How much does it cost? "To obtain a REAL ID, customers will pay a one-time fee of $30, plus a renewal fee (current renewal fee is $30.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver's license or a photo ID). The expiration date of their initial REAL ID product will include any time remaining on their existing non-REAL ID product, plus an additional four years, unless the customer is over 65 and has a two-year license. This expiration date structure means that the customer won't "lose" time that they've already paid for. After the initial REAL ID product expires, the customer will pay no additional fee, beyond regular renewal fees, to renew a REAL ID product."
The new ID is optional; PennDOT will still issue standard licenses and ID cards.
For more information, PennDOT is offering this link: www.penndot.gov/REALID.