The Enhanced ID will cost $30 more than a Real ID. However, probably the biggest difference between them is the fact that the Enhanced ID allows you to travel to Mexico, Canada, and a few Caribbean countries without requiring a passport. It only works as long as you don't travel by plane, though.
Yes, your enhanced driver's license is acceptable for domestic air travel. Your enhanced driver's license or ID card meets the federal REAL ID standards and may be used when flying domestically. Michigan also issues another type of driver's license and state ID that is REAL ID compliant.
There is no additional cost for a REAL ID-compliant license or ID card when a person renews normally. A correction fee may be charged when people apply for a compliant license outside of their normal renewal cycle.
While not required, the enhanced license is an excellent alternative to a standard license because it is especially handy for business travel, vacations or quick trips. Several border states, in addition to Michigan, offer an enhanced license.
Enhanced Driver's License
| Enhanced Driver's License | Fee |
|---|
| First | $45 |
| Renew | $38 |
| Duplicate | $24 |
| Correction | $24 |
To get an ID that meets federal requirements, Michigan residents need to make an appointment at a Secretary of State branch office. “Bring in your birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport, or any documentation that shows your legal presence in the country,” Benson says.
Yes. An enhanced license or state ID card issued in Michigan is accepted at any U.S. land or sea port when returning from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean. An enhanced license is accepted as a valid license for driving in any U.S. state.
Approximately 118 million of the 274 million state-issued driver's licenses and IDs are Real ID compliant. It serves not only as a Real ID-compliant driver's license for domestic air travel but it also allows re-entry into the U.S. at land and sea borders when coming from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
The enhanced driver's license is a cost-effective and convenient document that meets driving, identification and border-crossing needs. While not required, the enhanced license is an excellent alternative to a standard license because it is especially handy for business travel, vacations or quick trips.
No. REAL ID cards cannot be used for border crossings into Canada, Mexico or other international travel.
An EDL will allow you to make quick trips across the border to Canada or Mexico by car or by boat. However, you should be aware that an EDL cannot be used for travel to countries other than Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean nations included in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
Citizens traveling to the Bahamas on short trips for tourist or business purposes do not require a visa. When traveling by sea from the Bahamas, US citizens must present a passport card, passport, or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-compliant identification to enter or re-enter the states.
The N.C. REAL ID is a REAL ID Act-compliant driver license that is just like a traditional license or ID but has a star at the top.
The EDL allows for a convenient and cost-effective method of crossing the U.S. border by land or sea. However, an Enhanced Driver License cannot be used for air travel, and it can only be used to go to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean.
Are you ready for REAL ID? Beginning May 3, 2023, Michigan residents will need to present a REAL ID-compliant document to fly within the United States and enter certain federal facilities to comply with federal law.
Newfangled driver's licenses with stars are REAL ID compliant, meaning that they are more secure than what were previously issued. REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses have a star in the upper right corner.
WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is extending the REAL ID full enforcement date by 19 months, from October 1, 2021 to May 3, 2023, due to circumstances resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
1, only driver's licenses and state IDs that meet Real ID requirements will be accepted for boarding commercial flights. Travelers who don't have a Real ID will need credentials such as a U.S. passport or military ID.
REAL ID Checklist
- Step 1 of 6: Proof of Identity, Date of Birth and U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Status.
- Step 2 of 6: Check Your Name.
- Step 3 of 6: Proof of Your Full Social Security Number (SSN)
- Step 4 of 6: Provide Proof of Residency.
- Step 5 of 6: Written Signature.
- Step 6 of 6: Get Your Documents.
Bring your driver's license or state identification card. Bring your certified birth certificate with a raised seal or stamp issued by a governmental agency, your valid, unexpired U.S. passport, or an approved citizenship or legal presence document. (Faxes and photocopies won't be accepted.)
non-commercial motor vehicles
Flying with a REAL IDBeginning May 3, 2023, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, state-issued enhanced driver's license, or another acceptable form of ID to fly within the United States.
Americans visiting Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean by land or sea can travel using a passport card or enhanced driver's license. Pre-approved travelers can also enter the U.S. with the Trusted Traveler Program Nexus card.
