What a Real ID card could cost you in 2020

Your current Oregon driver's license won't get you through airport security come October 2020.

KATU News reported on this in early September. You'll need an updated driver's license that is compliant with the Real ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005.

Oregonians already pay a fee to renew or apply for a driver's license or ID card. You will need to pay an extra fee for a Real ID compliant card when it becomes available next summer.

In our original story, the Department of Motor Vehicles declined to provide an estimate for what the updated ID card would cost Oregonians.

The DMV shared that information with lawmakers during a Joint Committee on Transportation meeting at the state Capitol.

"I will tell you at the moment, we're looking at about $20 additional for these transactions," said Tom McClellan, the DMV administrator.

That will be about $20 on top of the current renewal or application fee for a driver's license or ID card. A driver's license renewal costs $40, a new driver's license costs $60.

The DMV says they must charge a fee for the Real ID compliant cards because the program must pay for itself.

When KATU News spoke to travelers at Portland International Airport, most of them said they were unfamiliar with Real ID.

An Oregon Department of Transportation and Port of Portland survey found that only about 50% of Oregonians knew about it.

The DMV will begin offering Real ID compliant cards in July 2020. This is just three months before TSA will no longer accept the current version of Oregon's driver's license.

Oregon will be one of the last states in the country to begin offering Real ID compliant cards.

You do not need to get a Real ID compliant card. You will be able to use your current ID card to drive. You can use a passport or military ID for air travel too.

The DMV created an online tool to help you decide if you need a new ID card. You can also find what paperwork you will need to bring. You can find that tool here.

This story is part of our Following the Money initiative. If you suspect government waste or a lack of accountability, give our Following the Money reporter, Keaton Thomas, a call or write him an email.