It was supposed to happen last year. Then COVID-19 happened.
It was supposed to take effect Friday. But, yeah, COVID-19 persisted.
For those of us weighing whether to get the REAL ID driver’s license, well, our decision deadline was extended again. The original October 2020 deadline was pushed to October 2021 and then was pushed again – to May 3, 2023.
Rest easy friends, you’ve got another 18 months or so to decide if the REAL ID and the gold star it brings is worth it to you.
The REAL ID was designed to increase security in some specific places (think federal buildings and nuke plants) and to boost safety in flying. The state of Tennessee does not require it for any other purpose.