The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration is making changes to driver’s licenses to improve security and protect against identity theft. The United States Department of Homeland Security states that “the REAL ID Act enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendation that the federal government set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.”
The act established minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and prohibits federal agencies from accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards from states that do not meet these standards. States have made considerable progress in meeting this key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission and every state has a more secure driver’s license today than before the passage of the Act.”
Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration spokesman Jake Bleed explained that the changes to these driver’s licenses stem from the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
“We found the states had internal security, but we did not have a nationwide system of security,” Bleed said. “The Real ID Act of 2005 allows the states to run information through a national database. It is a way to make sure we are on the same page.”
The existing driver’s licenses are marked “not for federal identification,” are available at all Arkansas Revenue Offices and cannot be used by itself to board an airplane or to enter a federal building. The enhanced security license contains a gold star, complies with the Real ID Act of 2005, allows people to board an airplane or enter a federal building, and requires additional forms of identification to obtain. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration runs 135 revenue offices, of which 25 offer the enhanced driver’s licenses. The Pine Bluff office does not offer the enhanced license, whereas the White Hall office does.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“We had to make a decision geographically to make sure people have access,” Bleed said. “We began implementing this driver’s license in October 2016 and we have issued 15,000 of the new licenses. We have had requests for more locations to issue them.”
“The recognition of the lack of a nationwide database was a problem,” Bleed said. “The states had to implement the Real ID Act of 2005. It is meant to protect against fraud and identity theft and it contains a gold star. It has taken a while to get everyone on the same page and to get it up and running.”
The driver’s license fee is $40 regardless of whether it is an enhanced ID or the standard license, Bleed said.