REAL ID law may cause fee increases, delays

With the new law, 280 million documents will have to be verified annually.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The days of being able to walk into a Missouri license bureau and walk out with a new driver's license in your wallet could soon be over under federal legislation that sets national standards for issuing licenses.

One component of the REAL ID Act, which President Bush signed into law in May, not only requires applicants to present more documents but mandates that states verify the validity of those documents before issuing licenses.

Missouri took its first step toward compliance with federal standards this month when it began requiring applicants to show proof of American citizenship or lawful immigration status, general identification and residence. Documents to be provided include a birth certificate, U.S. passport, Social Security card, utility bill or voter ID card.

With the exception of Social Security numbers, which are instantly checked through a national database, license bureau clerks currently don't verify those documents, according to a Missouri Department of Revenue spokeswoman.

National Conference of State Legislatures analyst Cheye Calvo said a mandate that takes effect in 2008 that all documents presented must be verified will likely spell the end for same-day service at license offices.

"That probably won't happen anymore because there is no way you could verify all of those documents in one day," Calvo said.

The time-consuming and labor-intensive nature of document checks and the vast number that will need to be done likely will impose major costs on states, Calvo said. Calvo said that about 70 million driver's licenses are issued nationally each year. With about four documents required per license, that translates to 280 million document verifications annually. For the most part, statewide databases -- let alone national ones -- containing such information do not exist, Calvo said.

The REAL ID Act sparked serious concerns among the nation's governors earlier this week during a meeting of the National Governors Association in Iowa, especially about the cost and worries that Congress won't follow up with sufficient funding.

Some states anticipate drastic increases in license fees. While estimates vary greatly from state to state, Calvo said the range he has heard is that fees will be increased by about $20 to $25 per license. In Missouri, a three-year, standard driver's license currently costs $10.

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, said it is too early to tell what, if any, costs will be imposed on states.

"I understand they're nervous about a possible federal mandate," Emerson said. "But we really don't know if there is going to be a federal mandate yet."

Congress left much of what will be required of states up to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It hasn't started drafting regulations for the states yet.

The legislation requires a standardization of what information states include on licenses. That could include biometric identifiers such as fingerprints and retinal scans.

'Bottom-line issue'

While privacy advocates are concerned about increasing the amount of personal information included on licenses, Emerson said more detailed identification that is more resistant to counterfeiting is necessary to combat terrorism and illegal immigration.

"I'm hoping it will have a positive impact on illegal immigration and keeping terrorists from getting into the country," Emerson said. "That's the bottom-line issue."

Missouri Department of Revenue spokeswoman Maura Browning said the agency will have to wait until it receives federal guidance to determine the legislation's impact on the state.

"We'll figure out how to implement it with as little cost as possible," Browning said.

The measure authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to issue grants to help states achieve compliance. At a later date, Congress will determine how much federal money to provide.

Jessica Robinson, a spokeswoman for Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, said he is aware of the concerns of other governors but is unsure as to what actions Missouri will need to take.

"At this point, we're still waiting to determine funding and the estimated costs to the state," Robinson said. "It's a process that is underway."

mpowers@semissourian.com

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