Governor Andy Beshear announced Monday the Hopkins County REAL ID Regional Driver’s Licensing office is officially open.
The office gives western Kentucky residents one more option to maintain U.S. air travel and military base entry thanks to the Madisonville location. Governor Beshear says his administration is working tirelessly and has made quick progress to make REAL IDs available as soon as possible.
REAL ID requirements go into effect on October 1 and are needed if you do not have a passport or military ID. Regional REAL ID offices are also open in Paducah and Bowling Green but are best scaled to serve residents in their counties.
The Madisonville office is located at 56 Federal Place and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
BACKGROUND ON REAL ID
WHAT IS A REAL ID LICENSE
Starting Oct. 1, 2020, Kentucky driver’s licenses, permits and identification cards displaying the Kentucky Unbridled Spirit logo or the language “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES” will no longer be accepted to board U.S. commercial flights or access restricted federal buildings to comply with federal REAL ID law.
Kentucky is in the process of offering REAL ID-compliant licenses, permits and identification cards accepted at airport security checkpoints, military bases and federal buildings that require ID once federal enforcement begins.
REAL ID licenses serve as one of several forms of REAL ID. Below is a list of common forms of REAL ID Kentuckians may use to maintain air travel and select federal building access:
Valid U.S. or foreign passport
Valid U.S. Passport Card
Voluntary Travel ID license, permit or identification card
Military ID (issued by U.S. Department of Defense)
Permanent resident card
DHS- Trusted Traveler Card
Global Entry Card
A full list of documents accepted by the Transportation Security Administration is available here. Kentuckians are encouraged to contact military bases and federal buildings, like the White House, to learn what other forms of identification are accepted.
WHY YOU MAY NEED A REAL ID
Beginning nationwide on Oct. 1, 2020, a form of REAL ID will be needed to:
Pass through airport security checkpoints to board a U.S. commercial flight
Visit a military base
Visit a federal building or facility that requires ID (White House, nuclear power plant)
WHERE TO GET A REAL ID LICENSE, PERMIT OR IDENTIFICATION CARD
Kentucky residents may visit the KYTC REAL ID Regional Driver’s Licensing Office office located at 56 Federal Place in Madisonville. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Applicants will receive a temporary 30-day document that serves as a driving credential until the permanent card arrives in the mail at the applicant’s residence.
Only debit and credit cards will be accepted (no cash or check). Regional offices are not equipped to serve applicants who require testing or re-testing. The cost of a four-year REAL ID license is $24 and $48 for an eight-year REAL ID license.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO APPLY FOR A REAL ID LICENSE
Residents applying for a REAL ID license must present documentation from a list of specific, acceptable documents that meet federal guidelines, including:
- one (1) valid proof of identity (like a certified birth certificate or valid passport)
- one (1) valid proof of social security number ( like a social security card or W2 statement) and
- two (2) valid proofs of residency ( like a Kentucky driver’s license with your current home address or a utility bill dated less than 61 days).
- Additional documentation may be required if an applicant’s name or gender doesn’t match on the four proof documents (like a marriage certificate or divorce decree if your names don’t match due to marriage or divorce). Applicants may need to reorder documents before applying if the documents do not display legal names (like a nickname printed on a social security card). A detailed list of acceptable documents and examples of when additional documentation may be required is available here. The online IDocument Guide quiz provides a customized list of documents an applicant will need to present. Some acceptable documents have strict requirements (e., no photocopies of birth certificates, no expired documents, no laminated social security cards).
WHAT IF YOU WANT A REAL ID BUT AREN’T WITHIN YOUR RENEWAL WINDOW ( six months before the current card’s expiration date)
Apply for a REAL ID license for $15, bring in the required documentation and the expiration date of your new license will stay the same
Once you have a REAL ID license and are within your renewal window, visit a REAL ID regional licensing office to renew your card for four or eight years. You do not need to bring in documentation again unless your name or address has changed.
WHEN TO VISIT THE HOPKINS COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT CLERK OFFICE
The Hopkins County Circuit Court Clerk office will continue to serve as the application site for standard, non-REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses, permits, and identification cards. A standard driver’s license is $20.
Kentuckians who have never had a Kentucky driving credential or those who require any form of testing or retesting must first visit the Circuit Court Clerk Office before visiting a regional licensing office if they would like a REAL ID license, permit or identification card.
