BMV Director Eric David
THE Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles will again issue REAL ID driver’s licenses starting today, Wednesday, BMV Director Eric David said.
“Our leadership at DPS worked so hard going through hurdles and paying our arrears that we owed the previous vendor. All arrears are now paid,” David said in an interview Tuesday afternoon.
DPS suspended the issuance of REAL IDs in December 2022 due to compliance issues, chief among which was the REAL ID issued in the CNMI did not work.
Valid U.S. Identity Solutions was the DPS contractor for the issuance of the REAL ID driver’s license in 2017. In 2023, the contractor was bought by Veridos North America, which is the current DPS vendor.
The federal REAL ID Act of 2005 establishes minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits certain federal agencies from accepting for certain purposes driver’s licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet the Act’s minimum standards.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, by May 7, 2025, U.S. travelers must be REAL ID-compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities.
“Everything will commence tomorrow [Wednesday]. Right now, our tech support group with the vendor and our team at DPS are currently in the final stage of running tests with the equipment,” David said.
He said they will also test the REAL ID driver’s licenses previously issued by BMV through the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.
“Those that currently carry the REAL ID from the previous process, check on your expiration date,” David said. “If it’s still valid within the next two or three years you don’t need to come in to BMV. Only those that don’t have REAL ID, but if you don’t bring the required documents, we will ask you to go back and bring in all of the required documents. Everything has to be original and certified and signed by the applicant so that we can show proof that you are the applicant that is applying. Provide at least a minimum of two identification cards that you have so that we can prove that you are the actual applicant applying for the [driver’s license].”
Davis said, “Those carrying the previously issued REAL ID driver’s licenses that do not work when scanned by TSA can come back to BMV and we will replace your REAL ID for free.”
He said the design of the CNMI REAL ID will remain the same for now.
“I’m working closely with our leadership, and we’re coming up with a new REAL ID design with our national symbols, and have the schools involved, and maybe they can design the REAL IDs, and the vehicle license plates that we currently have,” David added.
