Minimum Standards for Driver's Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes; Phased Approach for Card-Based Enforcement

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY <SUBAGY>Transportation Security Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>6 CFR Part 37</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. TSA-2023-0003]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 1652-AA77</RIN> <SUBJECT>Minimum Standards for Driver's Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes; Phased Approach for Card-Based Enforcement</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> This rule ensures that Federal agencies have appropriate flexibility to implement the card-based enforcement provisions of the REAL ID regulations after the May 7, 2025, enforcement deadline by explicitly permitting agencies to implement these provisions in phases. Under this rule, agencies may implement the card-based enforcement provisions through a phased enforcement plan if they determine it is appropriate upon consideration of relevant factors including security, operational feasibility, and public impact. The rule also requires agencies to coordinate their plans with DHS, make the plans publicly available, and achieve full enforcement by May 5, 2027. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Effective January 14, 2025. </EFFDATE> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> George Petersen, REAL ID Program, Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs, Transportation Security Administration, 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA 20598; telephone: (571) 227-2215; email: <E T="03">george.petersen@tsa.dhs.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Availability of Rulemaking Document</HD> You can find an electronic copy of this rulemaking using the internet by accessing the Government Publishing Office's web page at <E T="03">https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/FR/</E> to view the daily published <E T="04">Federal Register</E> edition or accessing the Office of the Federal Register's web page at <E T="03">https://www.federalregister.gov.</E> Copies are also available by contacting the individual identified for “General” in the <E T="02">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT</E> section. Make sure to identify the docket number of this rulemaking. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Abbreviations and Terms Used in This Document</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">APA—Administrative Procedure Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DHS—Department of Homeland Security</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DL/IDs—Driver's Licenses and Identification Cards</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">DMV—Departments of Motor Vehicles</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">EDL—Enhanced Driver's Licenses</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NPRM—Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">TSA—Transportation Security Administration</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Purpose of the Regulatory Action</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Summary of the Major Provisions of the Regulatory Action</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Costs and Benefits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Statutory and Regulatory History</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Phased Enforcement Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Broad DHS Approach</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. General Discussion of the Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Rulemaking Objectives</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Summary of Regulatory Provisions</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Maintaining the May 7, 2025, Card-Based Enforcement Deadline</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Phased Enforcement Guidance</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Discussion of Comments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. General Opposition to REAL ID</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Legal Authority</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. General Support for the Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Immediate Transition to Full Enforcement</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Extension of the Card-Based Enforcement Deadline</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Confusion Associated With Phased Enforcement Generally</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Public Availability of Agencies' Phased Enforcement Plans</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Length of Phased Enforcement Period</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">I. Relevant Factors and Resources for Development and Approval of Phased Enforcement Determinations by Federal Agencies</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">J. Phased Enforcement Implementation Concerns</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">K. Alternative Approaches to Phased Enforcement</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">L. Costs of the Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Statutory and Regulatory Analyses</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Administrative Procedure Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Economic Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Executive Order 13175 (Tribal Consultation)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Environmental Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Energy Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Congressional Review Act)</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Executive Summary</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD2">A. Purpose of the Regulatory Action</HD> Secure driver's licenses and identification documents are a vital component of our national security framework. The REAL ID Act, <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> passed by Congress in 2005, enacted the 9/11 Commission's recommendation that the Federal Government “set standards for the issuance of . . . sources of identification, such as drivers licenses.”  <SU>2</SU> <FTREF/> The REAL ID Act and its implementing regulations set minimum security standards for State-issued driver's licenses and identification cards (DL/IDs), which are designed to improve the security and reliability of those documents. These requirements allow Federal agencies that accept State-issued DL/IDs for official purposes to determine with greater accuracy whether individuals presenting a DL/ID are who they say they are. <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>  Public Law 109-13, 119 Stat. 231, 302 (May 11, 2005) (codified at 49 U.S.C. 30301 note). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>  The 9/11 Commission Report, Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States (July 2004) (9/11 Commission Report), p. 390, <E T="03">available at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GPO-911REPORT</E> (last visited April 16, 2024). </FTNT> Pursuant to the REAL ID regulations, REAL ID card-based enforcement begins on May 7, 2025. Card-based enforcement means that Federal agencies may only accept DL/IDs for official purposes, defined in the REAL ID Act and regulation, if the DL/IDs are issued in accordance with REAL ID requirements. <SU>3</SU> <FTREF/> In order to fully realize the enhanced security provided by the REAL ID requirements, DHS is committed to beginning card-based enforcement on May 7, 2025. However, as of January 2024, only approximately 56 percent of DL/IDs in circulation nationally are REAL ID-compliant. less than 60 percent of DL/IDs in circulation are REAL ID-compliant, and, of those, in 22 States less than 40 percent are REAL ID-compliant. <SU>6</SU> <FTREF/> Further, because of a history of REAL ID deadlines being extended, DHS believes that the public may continue to expect that additional extensions are likely and not feel urgency to obtain a REAL ID-compliant card. DHS believes this lack of urgency is likely to delay increased adoption in many States despite best efforts to inform the public, potentially leading to last-minute surges in demand for REAL ID-compliant IDs leading up to the deadline. <FTNT> <SU>3</SU>  6 CFR 37.5(b). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>4</SU>  Based on REAL ID issuance data, as of January 2024, voluntarily submitted monthly to DHS by the compliant states. While REAL ID issuance data through October 2024 is available, based on the most recent data, DHS expects the percentage of REAL IDs by the card-based enforcement date to be on par with the forecasts presented in the NPRM. As a result, the regulatory analyses (section <E T="03">V(b)(2)(d) Adoption of REAL ID-Compliant DL/IDs</E> ) maintains the values used in the NPRM which DHS published in September 2024. </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>5</SU>  DHS uses “states” and “licensing jurisdictions” interchangeably throughout this document to refer collectively to the 56 different U.S. jurisdictions that issue DL/IDs that are governed by the REAL ID regulations. These jurisdictions are the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. 6 CFR 37.3. </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>6</SU>   <E T="03">See supra</E> note 4. </FTNT> DHS believes this surge could overwhelm some States with low levels of adoption and result in backlogs and delays in REAL ID issuance. In light of this, DHS anticipates that a significant number of individuals seeking to use their DL/ID for a REAL ID official purpose on and after May 7, 2025, may not have a compliant DL/ID. DHS recognizes that this could result in a situation where individuals are unable to present a compliant DL/ID to access a Federal facility, board a federally regulated commercial aircraft, or enter a nuclear power plant on a large scale. For some agencies, this scenario may raise serious concerns related to security, agency operations, and potential impact to the public. While these concerns are especially acute in an airport security environment, DHS anticipates that other Federal agencies that operate facilities visited frequently by the general public  <SU>7</SU> <FTREF/> may also face similar concerns. This rule recognizes these concerns and provides flexibility by permitting agencies to, for a period of up to 2 years, imp ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 240k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━