325,000 Californians must update their REAL IDs

CALIFORNIA, USA — The California DMV says approximately 325,000 people who have already been issued a state REAL ID must take action to be reissued another valid REAL ID due to a system issue from 2006. 

After a self-initiated review of its data systems, the DMV found a fraction of REAL ID records require updates to ensure compliance with federal REAL ID regulations, according to a news release Wednesday from the agency.

The problem affects approximately 1.5% of California REAL ID holders, or 325,000 people, and the DMV said it is informing those affected of the steps they need to take.

“We proactively reviewed our records, identified a legacy system issue from 2006 and are notifying impacted customers with clear guidance on how to maintain a valid California-issued credential,” said Steve Gordon, the DMV director, via the news release. “For nearly 99% of REAL ID holders, no action is required. The DMV remains committed to serving all Californians and ensuring REAL ID credentials meet federal standards.”

The DMV will reportedly expedite the process and waive any associated fees.

Officials said the DMV will not call, text, or email requests for personal information or payment to address the issue. If someone would like to verify DMV action, they can call 1-800-777-0133.

In reviewing the DMV’s legacy technology systems this winter, the state agency said it found a software configuration dating back to 2006 affecting how expiration dates were applied to a small subset of REAL ID records.

Under federal rules, immigrants with lawful presence in the U.S., including those who are permanent residents, green card holders and visa holders, may be issued REAL IDs, per the DMV. While the DMV’s systems correctly verified legal presence with the federal government at the time of issuance, the 2006 coding automatically applied the standard credential renewal interval in some cases, instead of the expiration of a REAL ID holder’s authorized stay, the agency said.

According to the DMV, at no point were REAL IDs ever issued to undocumented individuals, in this case, meaning those without legal presence. All individuals received REAL IDs only after the federal system verified their lawful presence.

The error was limited solely to how expiration dates were calculated for some of California’s non-citizen residents with legal presence, the agency said. Once identified, the DMV said it implemented safeguards to prevent the problem from recurring.

The Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005, and it was enacted after a 9/11 commission’s recommendation that the federal government set criteria for identification, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Full enforcement began May 7, 2025.

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