Washington, D.C.'s Department of Motor Vehicles announced Monday that beginning May 1, all current D.C. driver's licenses will need to be replaced by the new REAL ID licenses. (Photo, D.C. DMV)

WASHINGTON, April 21 (UPI) -- If you live in Washington, D.C., you’re going to have visit the DMV.

Starting May 1, the District will begin issuing REAL ID licenses that conform to federal regulation established by Congress in 2005 with the REAL ID act, a measure recommended by the 9/11 commission to make using fraudulent state IDs more difficult.


According to the Washington Post, any license issued before May 1 will need to be replaced by Oct. 1 in order to enter certain federal buildings and by 2016 in order to board a domestic flight.

D.C.’s DMV will “individually notify residents when they need to visit a service center and present the required documents,” in order to avoid a surge at local branches.

Residents who have been notified via email or a letter will not be charged a fee, but those who wish to replace their old license with the new one before receiving their notification will be charged the standard license fee.

[Washington Post] [DMV]