I have a feeling Texas and some other states are this way as well. When I moved here I didn't need any other form of ID except my out of state license.

What's up with that? We crossed in to Canada a few months ago and all they needed to see was passports.

The "fun" part was not having solid answers for any of the standard questions. We were going to Niagara off season so just threw a bag in the trunk and hit the road. How long are you staying? 2 or 3 days maybe. Where will you be staying? We're gonna try the Cadillac Motel or maybe something around the corner. Bringing in any tabaco? Yeah, a few packs of cigs. Bringing in any food? Yeah. How much and what? Point to my girl and she says "just some road snacks".

Pull up and park over there.

Clearly they were bored because it took 3 of them to search the car. Clearly one or more of them were idiots because they got concerned about the folding luggage protector in the trunk and one actually asked me if the car was a convertible. I really don't know what kept from saying some stupid to that. Oddly enough the whole thing came to a screaming halt when they found the adult toys in the luggage.

Hey, get back here and close that suitcase - it wasn't open when you started.

I was a bad boy in 1978 and got a felony. If you have a felony anytime from the day you were born, or a DUI, you will now not be granted access to Canada. That happened after the 2016 election if you get me drift. And to the original intent of this thread, I already know several of my friends who have renewed their license IN ILLINIOS and they opted out of the "REAL ID" drivers license with no problems, your state may vary. If you don't live in a certain state you cannot tell me what happens in my state...

I was wondering the same thing..... after all the one in my pocket came from the same DMV that would be issuing this "real" ID IF I decide to get this "special" one.... at 52 I have been in a plan exactly once so far.... don't anticipate that total going up by very much in how ever much longer I have left....
Why do we have to have a different ID to fly within our own country anyways??? makes no sense.

Real ID is not automatic in IL when you get your drivers license. The whole thing since it started here has been a sheet show, people go in to renew, want to get their DL real ID, bring all the required documentation, find the line is 3 hours for real ID, so give up and spend 30 or 40 minutes getting their DL non real ID instead.
As to it being a federal requirement that all renewals must be real ID, not true. They will issue DLs to illegal aliens here, you think they get Real IDs? They aren’t eligible.

interesting point.

You guys are right and I am wrong. I looked it up. That's just crazy but then I remembered the dead rise from the grave to vote in your state too.

"vote as often as you can !"

Went in to renew my CDL several years ago and found out after waiting in line that a passport or certified copy of my birth certificate was needed to renew. My Illinois issued CDL wasn't proof enough??? Lol New federal law around 2014 and need to bring it every time I renew.

My understanding is some states are more lax about giving out licenses than others so some states DLs are very secure while others not so much. One following federal guidelines for all is now needed to make it uniform in all states.

If you consider when the bill of rights was originally drafted, airplanes, cars, trains, etc were still in the future. However the right to freely to move about the country was a given

Nobody at the time would have accepted requiring any licencing restrictions for riding a horse that would restrict one's right to move around the country.

Somewhere along the line the citizens were asleep at the wheel, pun intended and the mantra became "driving a car is a privilege, not a right", and most everybody accepted that restriction.

Well that slippery slope has morphed into flying, trains, buses, etc is also not a right and you must now jump thru certain hoops, at this time ( more later it seems) to drive, fly or ride.

Rights are seldom expanded, and we have nobody to blame but our apathetic selves.

There are groups that resist/fight this "driving is a privilege" crap.

And understand the main difference between privilege and a right, you are allotted due process in taking away a right, a privilege is denied often just by the stroke of a bureaucrat pushed pen that likely one can never contact/find to contest..

Ironically IMO, the "gold Star" on my CDL is actually a white star with a gold circular outline, but don't tell anybody.

All CDL in all States have the same regulations.

I believe this is true and may be part of my misunderstanding since I hold a class A CDL.
I just don't understand the point in having minimum documentation standards if you're going to allow others to not follow those requirements. I am glad I'm not a politician, it would make me insane...well more than I already am.

Our state coined the term "vote early and vote often"...

CDL's fall into the interstate commerce clause, regular DL's didn't but I guess they weaseled into it by saying if you fly it's interstate commerce. Interesting how things get stretched to fit the narrative.

I was actually surprised and relieved how easy it was for me in PA. I was pre-vetted for a real ID online when I got my initial renewal form about a month before my DL expired. Showed up to the DMV right when they opened with every form of ID I had and was out in 20 minutes. Our local DMV is brand new and is huge, so they can process customers non stop. I fully expected it to be a nightmare but it couldn't have been easier. Just my experience.

News to me and the subject of my 1985 DUI never came up.

I may well be mistaken but I thought this real id thing was some kinda TSA driven welcome to the post 9/11 world.

Dont feel too bad Jim.
At least you're in good company.
After leaving office former President George W. Bush had to get a waiver to enter Canada after his DWI offense in Maine in 1976.
Maybe you're just not hanging around with the right people.

Oh I can get a waiver, costs me $2800 to do it according to all the phone calls and letters to Canadian officials. I won't pay to visit somewhere I have been to many times because of something I did when I was a kid that affected nobody in Canada...

I dont blame you...seems ridiculous..
Same thing happened to friend of mine
He used to cross into the US regularly to buy parts for his 68 Harley FLH at the Iron Block dealer.
Several years back his 40 year old charge came into question and he now can no longer enter the US.
Was $600.00 to get it cleared up then, now it is $2200.00.
He's staying put