In response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Congress passed the REAL ID Act of 2005. Title II of the act was intended to improve security when issuing driver’s licenses and personal identification cards. Under the act, all states and territories in the U.S. must comply with the new law. Initially, the deadline for the STAR ID was October 1, 2020, but due to COVID-19 it has been extended for another year. The new STAR ID deadline is October 1, 2021.
The act requires states to review and confirm more detailed documentation relating to your identity before they issue a driver’s license. Also, states must implement stricter security measures for locations where licenses and cards are produced, and where documentation is stored.
An example of some of the new law’s requirements includes the use of technology to capture digital images of identity source documents, to capture facial images, and to incorporate physical security features to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication.
What Is a STAR ID?
STAR ID is Alabama’s version of the federal REAL ID. Alabama created the name STAR from “Secure, Trusted, and Reliable.” If you have a small white star inside a gold circle on the front upper left-hand-side of your Alabama driver’s license or identity card, you have been issued a STAR ID.
The Alabama STAR ID will be needed to board any airplane flying within the U.S. You will still need a passport to fly internationally. After October 1, 2021, if you do not have a STAR ID, passport, or alternate form of TSA-approved ID, you will not be allowed to board any commercial airliner.
The Star ID will also be needed to enter federal facilities and nuclear power plants. The Secretary of Homeland Security can decide when to require its use for any other purposes.
Where to Go to Get a STAR ID
STAR IDs are issued only at statewide Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Driver License examining offices and at the downtown Montgomery Reinstatement Office. Locate an ALEA office near you.
STAR ID-Approved Documents
When you apply for an Alabama STAR ID, you must have a minimum of four documents to prove your identity, date of birth, Social Security number, and principal residence address.
To prove your identity and date of birth, you must provide one of the following documents listed on the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency website here.
To prove your Social Security number, you must provide one of the following documents:
- Social Security card
- United States Military Form DD 214
- Medicare/Medicaid Identification Card (if Social Security Number is followed by the letter A)
- W-2 Tax Form
To prove your principal residence address, you must provide:
- Residential mortgage contract
- Voter registration card
- Current lease or rental agreement for housing
- Proof of payment of residential property tax (Homestead)
- Previous year tax returns bearing applicants address
- Vehicle registration bearing applicants name and address
- Utility bill (water, gas, or electric) less than 90 days old
The full list of documents that can prove residence are also listed on the ALEA website linked above.
If your name has changed from the name displayed on, for example, a birth certificate, you will need an official document to verify the name change. In this case, a marriage certificate would be necessary to prove the name change. Similarly, a birth certificate or marriage certificate will be needed if any of your principal residence documents, such as a utility bill, list your spouse or a parent’s name.
If you already have a STAR ID , then ALEA has your information on file and you may renew it online once in an eight-year period, using the renewal website.
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